Taking your medication as prescribed by your health care team is just one part of keeping healthy. Let’s face it though, forgetting "what" and "when" is easy to do, especially if you take more than one medication.
A simple way to get on top of your medication is to create a routine. Something that reminds you to take the right amount of medication, at the right time. If there's someone in your family or a friend who can help you set up your routine, even better. Having someone else involved can make a real difference.
Here are some ideas to help you set up your routine:
Piggyback your routine
Take your medications at the same time as an activity that’s already part of your daily routine, such as brushing your teeth or taking your dog for a walk. The two will soon become linked.
Make sticky notes your friend
Get lots of different colors and stick them where you need to: the mirror, the remote, the car steering wheel—wherever works for you.
Set a reminder alarm on your clock, computer or smartphone
Program the alarm to be one of your favorite songs—you might want to ask a tech-savvy friend if you're not sure how to do this. You can also get helpful apps to set up reminders.
Get the gang involved
If there are family members or friends who’ve been asking how they can help, get one of them to call or text you to remind you. Come up with funny code words for them to say so it makes you smile, too. Or, if you know someone else who has to take medications, set up a buddy phone system with them.
Schedule those refills
Talk to your pharmacist about how to get your prescriptions refilled automatically. It's an easy way to avoid running out, and it’ll be one less thing to think about each month.
Don't forget to ask your health care team if you have any questions or concerns about your medications.