As a mother, daughter or wife, at some point in life, most women find themselves
in the role of caregiver. Whether this involves caring for a loved one
at home, across town, or several hours away, the responsibilities of being
a caregiver can be overwhelming. According to the Department of Health
and Human Services, women overwhelmingly assume the caregiver role, comprising
between 59% and 75% of all caregivers.
One concern many caregivers share is making sure loved ones take medications
regularly and appropriately. Not taking medications correctly can have
serious consequences. Not adhering to doctor-recommended dosing schedules
can reduce the effectiveness of managing chronic disease, lead to discomfort,
or result in fatality.
“Medication regimens can be complicated, especially when prescription
and over-the-counter medications are combined with recommended vitamin
supplements. Closely following a prescribed dosing schedule can be challenging
for a patient or a caregiver,” said Maureene Andrews, PA-C at
Catawba Valley Family Medicine – Viewmont.
CVMC is now offering a new tool to help patients and caregivers administer
medication regimens and it has a monitoring component that sends an alert
when a dosage is missed. This new tool, the Philips Medication Dispensing
Service, is currently available at the
CVMC Health First Center in Valley Hills Mall. Designed to remind patients to take their medications at pre-programmed
times from convenient pre-filled dosage cups, this resource combines an
automated medication dispenser with a 24 hour monitoring and reporting service.
“With this service, caregivers gain peace-of-mind because they are
alerted by phone if a dose is missed,” said Andrews. “So even
when a caregiver can’t be there, they can still feel confident knowing
their loved one is taking medications as scheduled.”
Who Can the
Lifeline Medication Dispenser Help?
Individuals may benefit from this device if they have:
- More than one chronic condition
- Multiple medications or complex medication schedules
- Had medication misuse issues
- A limited range of mobility
- Cognitive impairment
- Current assistance with managing their medications
How Does It Work?
- Load:
- You or a caregiver puts medications into individual cups and loads them
into the dispenser
- PhillipsLifeline will help with scheduling the dosage times
- Dispense:
- An audible reminder and flashing light indicate it’s time for medication
- Press the button and the loaded medication scheduled to be taken at that
time will dispense
- Alert:
- If a dose is missed, the dispenser will contact the caregiver by phone
and even leave an automated voicemail. Caregivers can check on their loved
one to make sure medications are taken as prescribed
For more information, about the Philips Medication Dispensing Service,
please email Carol Robinson at
cbrobinson@catawbavalleymc.org or by phone at 828-485-2696. To schedule an appointment with Maureene
Andrews, patients may call 828.324.1699. Andrews is located at Catawba
Valley Family Medicine – Viewmont at 221 13th Avenue Place, NW,
Suite 202 in Hickory.