...One never knows when an accident may occur and a few seconds could save your life. Would you be ready and able to answer questions about your medical history in an emergency? (That's a hard question to answer right there! You may be dazed - in shock - or worse!) I have trouble filling in all the blanks on a new patient form when I go to a new doctor - and there's no emergency medical team pressing me for answers!
It really pays to plan ahead and be prepared - just in case. Having your personal health record (PHR) with you is very much like buying insurance. You don't wait until you wreck the car to purchase a policy. You can't afford to wait in this case either. It just makes sense to spend a little money and a little time NOW for a whole lot of peace of mind later. Then you can rest easier, knowing you really do have everything "covered".
As a card-carrying" Organ Donor, I certainly intend for my wishes to be known and respected if the worst happened. I have made arrangements with my family and my primary physician, but those people may not be with me at "crunch time". So I now carry a MedFlash Personal Health Record on a flash drive.
Every EMT uses a laptop these days, and it's a simple thing to pop my MedFlash device into any USB drive and read all about my medical condition, such as: the medications I'm taking, my I.C.E. contact(who to call In Case of Emergency), my doctors' phone numbers, etc. Very simple - very easy.
It's also critically important to keep your information up to date. You can easily schedule an OnTimeRx phone or email reminder to tell yourself to access your online MedFlash account and review and update the information monthly.
Accidents happen in a flash! I strongly urge everyone to "Be Prepared"!
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Put Your Old PDA to GOOD Use
A caregiver contacted me recently and asked if OnTimeRx software would work on an old Palm devices. This person had an old M515 Palm PDA lying around and thought it might be useful for his elderly mother to remember to take her pills.
Not only will it work... That's a PERFECT USE for IT!! (It certainly isn't doing ANYONE any good stuck in a desk drawer storing dead batteries. )
I've been advocating the use of PDAs for older people for years. We can document that they work well by the results of a small compliance study that was conducted at PennState, using Palm devices. Dr. William Curry wanted to see if older patients in his Family Practice setting could handle the technology. Much to his delight and mine, they did very well. In fact the oldest participant in the study was 87 and she had a 97% compliance rate. It was almost too good to be believable, but it was true.
"In a pilot study in the fall of 2005, 10 individuals aged 36 to 87 years participated in a one month trial of the PDA and OnTimeRx software. Adherence improved by using the device and exceeded 95% in almost all participants, with a 97% rate in the eldest participant."
So... What's AGE got to do with it? Really!!!
Technology comes in many forms and can help people of all ages if they're willing to try new things.
One of the biggest barriers to more people using OnTimeRx software these days is the fact that Palm has stopped producing the Palm OS hardware. So about the only way that "Boomers and beyond" can utilize the PDA medication reminder approach is by borrowing old devices from their children or grandchildren.
This should not pose a problem for anyone concerned, because as each new device comes along, a person upgrades and rarely disposes of the old "obsolete" device. They're around somewhere, just aching to be put back into service for a "Good Cause"... and what better "cause" is there if Grandma needs to be gently reminded to take her pills.
Some older Palm and Windows Mobile devices can also still be found on eBay at really good prices - if you act fast. I would LOVE to see old PDAs collected and recycled for use by seniors - just like they do old cell phones.
Why not repurpose YOUR old hand held devices and turn them into excellent pill reminders for the grandparents in your life. Who knows? It may be just what the doctor ordered!... and he didn't even know it existed. Give it a try.
Not only will it work... That's a PERFECT USE for IT!! (It certainly isn't doing ANYONE any good stuck in a desk drawer storing dead batteries. )
I've been advocating the use of PDAs for older people for years. We can document that they work well by the results of a small compliance study that was conducted at PennState, using Palm devices. Dr. William Curry wanted to see if older patients in his Family Practice setting could handle the technology. Much to his delight and mine, they did very well. In fact the oldest participant in the study was 87 and she had a 97% compliance rate. It was almost too good to be believable, but it was true.
"In a pilot study in the fall of 2005, 10 individuals aged 36 to 87 years participated in a one month trial of the PDA and OnTimeRx software. Adherence improved by using the device and exceeded 95% in almost all participants, with a 97% rate in the eldest participant."
So... What's AGE got to do with it? Really!!!
Technology comes in many forms and can help people of all ages if they're willing to try new things.
One of the biggest barriers to more people using OnTimeRx software these days is the fact that Palm has stopped producing the Palm OS hardware. So about the only way that "Boomers and beyond" can utilize the PDA medication reminder approach is by borrowing old devices from their children or grandchildren.
This should not pose a problem for anyone concerned, because as each new device comes along, a person upgrades and rarely disposes of the old "obsolete" device. They're around somewhere, just aching to be put back into service for a "Good Cause"... and what better "cause" is there if Grandma needs to be gently reminded to take her pills.
Some older Palm and Windows Mobile devices can also still be found on eBay at really good prices - if you act fast. I would LOVE to see old PDAs collected and recycled for use by seniors - just like they do old cell phones.
Why not repurpose YOUR old hand held devices and turn them into excellent pill reminders for the grandparents in your life. Who knows? It may be just what the doctor ordered!... and he didn't even know it existed. Give it a try.
Friday, March 6, 2009
Phone Calls for all Occasions
What types of people use automated phone reminders?
1. "Granddad" insists on living alone or has finally moved into assisted living. How do you make sure he's doing OK in either case? Like many older folks, he may be napping all afternoon and getting his "days and nights mixed up". Staying up all hours of the night can add a level of confusion that certainly isn't needed. Confusion can be caused by some medications as well and it all lumps together to make it even more difficult for him to remember all the things he should do - including taking his all important medications. So what's a family to do?
You may live in a different city or simply can't keep running over to check on him, but an automated phone call will wake him from his nap time at a reasonable hour each afternoon, and he won't miss out on dinner at his assisted living facility. It's a non-judgmental call, so he won't mind the wake-up call reminder.
2. "Grandmom" has been a widow for several years and insists she can manage just fine on her own. You aren't so sure, but you still don't want to insult her by questioning her capabilities. What can you do?
Maybe it's time to have the "Get-A-Call" discussion. Tell her there are ways to use the phone that will help her stay in the old homestead by herself and give you the peace of mind that she's taking her medications properly or waking up in time for her favorite TV shows, etc. Automated calls help maintain her treasured independence, and they take a bit of stress and pressure off of the family.
3. "Junior" doesn't like to stop playing video games to do homework. Mom and Dad are simply tired of nagging about it every afternoon. The confrontations are counter-productive and stressful. Why not schedule an automated phone call especially to remind "Junior" that it's time to put down the game controls and hit the books. Again, automated calls are non-judgmental and the request or directive is coming from a "third party" that "Junior" can't argue with.
4. "Auntie May" lives alone and is very independent, even though she's nearly blind and a bit hard-of-hearing. She needs to take very important medications at the same time every day for best results. She's tried several normal reminder alarms, but they aren't loud enough so they don't work. However, she has the volume turned way up on the phone ringer and hears it just fine. With an automated call, when the phone rings and she answers it, a special voice message will tell her that it's time to take her pills.
You can listen to an audio sample of a basic phone reminder. And you can also change any of your custom messages every day or every week if you want - just to keep it interesting and maybe even fun. Will it help? We think so. And it doesn't cost a thing to try it out.
1. "Granddad" insists on living alone or has finally moved into assisted living. How do you make sure he's doing OK in either case? Like many older folks, he may be napping all afternoon and getting his "days and nights mixed up". Staying up all hours of the night can add a level of confusion that certainly isn't needed. Confusion can be caused by some medications as well and it all lumps together to make it even more difficult for him to remember all the things he should do - including taking his all important medications. So what's a family to do?
You may live in a different city or simply can't keep running over to check on him, but an automated phone call will wake him from his nap time at a reasonable hour each afternoon, and he won't miss out on dinner at his assisted living facility. It's a non-judgmental call, so he won't mind the wake-up call reminder.
2. "Grandmom" has been a widow for several years and insists she can manage just fine on her own. You aren't so sure, but you still don't want to insult her by questioning her capabilities. What can you do?
Maybe it's time to have the "Get-A-Call" discussion. Tell her there are ways to use the phone that will help her stay in the old homestead by herself and give you the peace of mind that she's taking her medications properly or waking up in time for her favorite TV shows, etc. Automated calls help maintain her treasured independence, and they take a bit of stress and pressure off of the family.
3. "Junior" doesn't like to stop playing video games to do homework. Mom and Dad are simply tired of nagging about it every afternoon. The confrontations are counter-productive and stressful. Why not schedule an automated phone call especially to remind "Junior" that it's time to put down the game controls and hit the books. Again, automated calls are non-judgmental and the request or directive is coming from a "third party" that "Junior" can't argue with.
4. "Auntie May" lives alone and is very independent, even though she's nearly blind and a bit hard-of-hearing. She needs to take very important medications at the same time every day for best results. She's tried several normal reminder alarms, but they aren't loud enough so they don't work. However, she has the volume turned way up on the phone ringer and hears it just fine. With an automated call, when the phone rings and she answers it, a special voice message will tell her that it's time to take her pills.
You can listen to an audio sample of a basic phone reminder. And you can also change any of your custom messages every day or every week if you want - just to keep it interesting and maybe even fun. Will it help? We think so. And it doesn't cost a thing to try it out.
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