- Best Pill Boxes and Medication Management Tools
- How to Write a Living Will
- How to Know if You’re Getting Osteoporosis
- How to Choose a Memory Care Unit for a Loved One with Dementia
Best Pill Boxes and Medication Management Tools
Dear Savvy Senior,
Can you recommend some good pill boxes and medication reminding devices? I’ve recently started taking several new prescription medications along with some vitamins I normally take and need to get a pill box that helps me organize them. What can you tell me?
- Almost 70
Dear Almost,
Pill boxes (a.k.a. pill organizers) play an important role in keeping people healthy because they help you stay on top of your medication regimen. While there are many options, here are a few tips to help you choose, along with some top-rated pill boxes as recommended by expert reviewers.
Identify Your Needs?
When choosing an appropriate pill box for you, you first need to ask yourself a few questions, such as:
- How many pills do you take and how big are they? If you take only a few medications, a smaller pill box may be sufficient. But if you’re taking multiple medications and large vitamin supplements, you’ll want to get a large compartment pill box that can hold your daily dosage.
- Do you take your pills once a day or multiple times a day? If you take medications only once a day, a simple pill box with one compartment will do. But if you need to take medications multiple times a day, you’ll want to get a pill box with either two, three or four compartments for each day of the week.
- Do you have problems remembering to take your medications? If so, there are organizers that have built-in alarms and reminding features, or you can download a free medication reminding app on your smartphone.
- Do you have a difficult time opening your medication containers? If so, there are easy-open pill boxes or automated medication dispensers that are ideal for those with dexterity problems.
- Do you need a portable pill box for when you’re away from home? There are smaller portable pill boxes made for traveling, some of which have sealed-shut cases that prevent moisture and dust from entering.
Best Pill Boxes
With help from The New York Times (Wirecutter) and USA Today (Reviewed), some of the best pill boxes in 2024 are offered by Auvon and Sukuos which make a variety of single and multiple compartment pill organizers that are big, colorful and easy to open.
Their top-rated options include the “Auvon Weekly Pill Organizer” for once-a-day medication users; “Sukuos AM/PM Weekly 7 Day Pill Organizer” for twice a day use; “Auvon iMedassist Moisture-Proof Weekly Pill Organizer” for four times a day; and the “Auvon Moistureproof Monthly Pill Organizer” for those who want to organize their medications monthly.
Or, if you’re interested in a travel pill box, the “MUchengbao Travel Pill Organizer” is considered an excellent choice.
All of these pill boxes cost around $10 and are available on Amazon.com or Walmart.com.
High-Tech Pill Organizers
If you need more help keeping up with your medication regimen, there are smart pill boxes that will organize your pills, remind you to take them, track your progress and even text or email caregivers if pills are missed. A popular option to consider here is EllieGrid (elliegrid.com, $149), which connects the pillbox to the EllieGrid app (via Bluetooth) that you would install on your smartphone.
Or if you need even more help, there are automated medication dispensers like the Hero (herohealth.com, $45 per month), which is a comprehensive, Wi-Fi connected, app-based system that will remind you when to take your pills and dispenses them to you.
Medication Reminding Apps
If you’re interested in a medication reminding app, some top-rated choices include MyTherapy (mytherapyapp.com) or Medisafe (medisafeapp.com). These are free apps that you can download in the Apple or Google Play app stores that will send you timely notifications to take your pills, and reminders to refill your prescriptions.
How to Write a Living Will
Dear Savvy Senior,
What’s the best way to go about writing a living will? I’m approaching age 73 and in poor health and would like to get this done without spending a lot of money.
— Need Help
Dear Need,
Preparing a living will now is a smart decision that gives you say in how you want to be treated at the end of your life. Here’s what you should know, along with some resources to help you write one.
What to Prepare
To adequately spell out your wishes regarding your end-of-life medical treatment you need two legal documents: A “living will” which tells your doctor what kind of care you want to receive if you become incapacitated, and a “health care power of attorney” (or health care proxy), which names a person you authorize to make medical decisions on your behalf if you become unable to.
These two documents are known as an “advance directive,” and will only be utilized if you are too ill to make medical decisions yourself. You can also change or update it whenever you please.
It isn’t necessary to hire a lawyer to prepare an advance directive. There are a number of free or low-cost do-it-yourself resources available today to help you create one, and it takes only a few minutes from start to finish. Some top options include:
CaringInfo.org: This is a program created by the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization that provides free state-specific living will forms that you can download, print and fill out. Or you can call 800-658-8898 and they will mail them to you and answer any questions you may have.
MyDirectives.com: If you’d rather create a digital (online only) advance directive, MyDirectives is an online tool and mobile app that will help you create, store and share a detailed, customized digital advance directive.
FiveWishes.org: This is another top-rated resource for creating a comprehensive paper or digital advance directive. They charge $5 for the paper form and $15 for the digital version, which is stored on the website that you or your family can access anytime.
VA Advance Directive: If you’re a veteran, the VA also provides a free advance directive form specifically for you at VA.gov/find-forms/about-form-10-0137.
Other Options
If you’re interested in making an entire estate plan that will include your will and/or trust, power of attorney and advance directive, there are many do-it-yourself online services that typically run between $100 and $250. Some top services include Quicken WillMaker & Trust software (WillMaker.com), Trust & Will (TrustandWill.com), and Legal Zoom (LegalZoom.com), which also makes basic living wills for only $39.
Or, if you’d rather have a professional do it for you, contact an estate planning attorney. See NAELA.org or NAEPC.org to help you locate someone in your area. Costs will vary depending on where you live, but you can expect to pay somewhere between $500 and $2,000 for a basic estate plan.
Add-ons
You should also consider getting a do-not-resuscitate order (DNR) as part of your advance directive, since advanced directives do little to protect you from unwanted emergency care like CPR. To create a DNR, ask your doctor to fill out a state appropriate form and sign it.
Another tool you should know about that will complement your advance directive is the Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment, or POLST (sometimes called Medical Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment, or MOLST). A POLST form translates your end-of-life wishes into medical orders to be honored by your doctors. To learn more about your state’s program or set one up, see POLST.org.
Tell Your Family
To ensure your final wishes are followed, make sure to tell your family members, health care proxy and doctors so they all know what you want. You should also provide them copies of your advance directive or if you create a digital version, make sure you share it electronically.
How to Know if You’re Getting Osteoporosis
Dear Savvy Senior,
Can a person in their early fifties have osteoporosis? When I fell and broke my wrist last winter the doctor that treated me told me I might have osteoporosis.
— Surprised Susan
Dear Susan,
While osteoporosis is much more common in adults over age 60, it can strike younger people too. In fact, according to the Bone Health & Osteoporosis Foundation half of women and up to 25 percent of men in the U.S. over age 50 will break a bone due to osteoporosis. Here’s what you should know.
Osteoporosis, a disease that weakens your bones is also called a “silent” disease because there are no warning signs until a fracture occurs. Around 10 million Americans over age 50 currently have osteoporosis, and an additional 44 million have osteopenia (lower than normal bone density) – 80 percent of whom are women.
Most people, by the time they reach their late 30’s, gradually start losing some of their bone mass, but for women, the biggest decline happens in the five to seven years following menopause, when levels of estrogen, which helps to keep bone strong, plummets. Bone loss for men occurs much more gradually. However, by age 75, osteoporosis is as common in men as it is in women.
To help you determine your risk of osteoporosis, the International Osteoporosis Foundation has a quick, online test you can take at RiskCheck.Osteoporosis.Foundation.
Bone Checkup
According to the BHOF all women over 65 and men over 70 should have a baseline dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scan, which is a painless measurement of the calcium in your bones. But those at high risk should start around age 50. Factors that make a good case for early screening include having a family history of osteoporosis, a broken bone after age 50, vitamin D deficiency, a smoking habit, medical conditions such as diabetes or rheumatoid arthritis or previous or current use of medications that can weaken bones, like steroid prednisone and certain antidepressants.
Most bone density tests are covered by health insurance companies including Medicare, and are done in hospital radiology departments, private radiology practices and stand-alone clinics.
Bone-Builders
If your bone scan finds that you have osteopenia but have a low to moderate 10-year fracture risk, lifestyle measures are usually the best course of action. Three important things you can do to boost your bone health include:
Get enough calcium and vitamin D: Calcium helps keep bones strong, and vitamin D helps us absorb calcium. Women older than 50 and men over 70 need at least 1,200 mg of calcium per day ideally from foods like dairy, canned sardines, kale, and fortified orange juice. Adults over 50 need 870 to 1,000 IU of vitamin D each day, but that’s hard to get from food. Have your levels checked to see if you need a supplement.
Exercise: Low impact weight-bearing exercises like walking, and strength training with light weights or resistant bands several times a week can actually help build bone strength, as well as improve balance and muscle strength.
Don’t smoke: Women who smoke a pack of cigarettes per day as adults have less dense bones at menopause.
Osteoporosis Meds
If, however, your bone density test finds that you have osteoporosis your doctor will probably recommend medications. The first line of treatment is usually bisphosphonates such as alendronate (Binosto and Fosamax), risedronate (Actonel and Atelvia), and ibandronate (Boniva). These oral or injectable drugs slow the breakdown of bone but won’t build it back.
For severe osteoporosis your doctor may instead prescribe an anabolic: teriparatide (Forteo), abaloparatide (Tymlos), or romosozumab (Evenity). These are typically given as daily or monthly injections and they increase the amount and strength of bones.
How to Choose a Memory Care Unit for a Loved One with Dementia
Dear Savvy Senior,
My dad has dementia and has gotten to the point that he can’t live at home any longer. I need to find a good memory care residential facility for him but don’t know where to turn. Any suggestions?
- Only Daughter
Dear Only,
Choosing a good memory care residential unit for a loved one with dementia is a very important decision that requires careful evaluation and some homework.
Most memory care units, sometimes called special care units, are housed within assisted living or nursing home facilities. At their best, they offer staff extensively trained in caring for people with dementia, individualized care that minimizes the use of dangerous psychotropic drugs, a home-like environment and activities that improve resident’s quality of life. But at their worst, they can offer little more than a locked door. Here are some steps that can help you find a good facility and avoid a bad one.
Make a list: To identify some good memory care residential units in your area ask your dad’s doctor for a referral or use an online search tool like Caring.com. Make sure the facilities on your list are close to family members and friends who can visit often, because residents with frequent visitors usually get better care.
Research your options: Once you’ve made a list, call your local long-term care ombudsman (see LTCombudsman.org for contact information). This is a government official who investigates assisted living and nursing home complaints and can tell you which facilities have had problems in the past.
If you’re looking at a memory care unit within a nursing home facility, use Medicare’s nursing home compare tool (Medicare.gov/care-compare), which provides a 5-star rating system.
Call the facilities: Once you’ve identified a few good facilities, call them to find out if they have any vacancies, if they provide the types of services your father needs, what they charge and if they accept Medicaid.
Tour your top choices: During your tour, notice the cleanness and smell of the facility. Is it homey and inviting? Does the staff seem responsive and kind to its residents? Also be sure to taste the food, and talk to the current resident’s family members, if available.
Also, ask about staff screening and training procedures, their turnover rate, and their staff-to-resident ratio. Make sure they provide quality activities to keep your dad engaged and find out how they respond to residents who may wander or become aggressive.
Because transitions can be unsettling for dementia suffers, make sure that your dad will be able to remain at the facility for the foreseeable future. And find out what, if any, health conditions might require him to leave the facility or move to a higher and more expansive level of care.
It’s also a good idea to make multiple visits to the facility including an unscheduled visit in the evening or weekend when the staff is more likely to be stretched thin.
To help you choose a good facility, the Alzheimer’s Association offers a list of questions to ask at CommunityResourceFinder.org/Alz/Tips – click on “Tips for choosing a residential care facility” under Housing Options.
Paying for care: The national average costs for memory care within an assisted living facility is over $6,000 per month, and over $8,500/month for nursing home care, but costs can vary widely depending on location and services.
Since Medicare does not cover long-term care, most residents pay for care from either personal savings, a long-term care insurance policy or through Medicaid (if available) once their savings are depleted. Or, if your dad is a veteran, he may be able to get funds through the VA’s Aid and Attendance benefit. To learn more, ask the facility director or contact the regional VA benefit office at 800–827–1000.
Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.
