It's always nice to be mentioned on TV. This spot aired on NBC on April 15, 2011, when Savvy Seniors' Jim Miller was a guest on KFOR TV in a 4 Seniors feature. Jim talked about ways to help seniors remember to take their medications and OnTimeRx was one of the three tools he highlighted.
To hear what he had to say, go to the website: http://bit.ly/jK6ene
WATCH the SEGMENT ON KFOR
Showing posts with label medication reminders. Show all posts
Showing posts with label medication reminders. Show all posts
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Jitterbug + OnTimeRx Reminders = Great Combo!
KISS = Keep It Senior Simple!
Jitterbug has done an excellent job with their simple "senior-focused" cell phone.
OnTimeRx employs this concept in the design of our automated medication reminder service.
These two senior products are meant for each other!!
Life will be much simpler for the caregivers and family members when a senior is using these simple tools.
It provides peace of mind and is a stress-reliever to boot!
Jitterbug has done an excellent job with their simple "senior-focused" cell phone.
OnTimeRx employs this concept in the design of our automated medication reminder service.
These two senior products are meant for each other!!
Life will be much simpler for the caregivers and family members when a senior is using these simple tools.
It provides peace of mind and is a stress-reliever to boot!
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
WES 2009 in Orlando
The weather is perfect for WES, Wireless Enterprise Symposium 2009, which is currently on in Orlando.
It's the world's largest meeting of its kind for BlackBerry users of all "makes and models" - from major enterprises to the individual BB device owner. They've all come to Orlando to compare notes, learn new techniques, and check out the latest developments from RIM.
As a developer of OnTimeRx for BlackBerry, I was very excited about attending at least a part of this symposium, to connect with lots of other health care vendors in the wireless world and scores of pill-taking BB users... especially since it's being held right in my backyard. Unfortunately, plans changed at the last minute and I was not able to attend the first day. However, I did get out to the Orlando World Center Marriott & Convention Center on Wednesday, May 6th, and met with a couple of representatives from BlackBerryChicks, a relatively new website devoted to women who use BlackBerry devices. I really enjoyed meeting them and sharing ideas for marketing my medication reminder for the BB - especially since I just happen to be a woman developer and a BB-user myself. Guess that officially makes me a "BlackBerryChick", too.
I left a stack of my cards and am hoping that lots of people will go to my website and sign up to be notified when we launch OnTimeRx for BlackBerry. Hopefully, that will happen by the end of the month!!!
...or at least soon, very soon!
It's the world's largest meeting of its kind for BlackBerry users of all "makes and models" - from major enterprises to the individual BB device owner. They've all come to Orlando to compare notes, learn new techniques, and check out the latest developments from RIM.
As a developer of OnTimeRx for BlackBerry, I was very excited about attending at least a part of this symposium, to connect with lots of other health care vendors in the wireless world and scores of pill-taking BB users... especially since it's being held right in my backyard. Unfortunately, plans changed at the last minute and I was not able to attend the first day. However, I did get out to the Orlando World Center Marriott & Convention Center on Wednesday, May 6th, and met with a couple of representatives from BlackBerryChicks, a relatively new website devoted to women who use BlackBerry devices. I really enjoyed meeting them and sharing ideas for marketing my medication reminder for the BB - especially since I just happen to be a woman developer and a BB-user myself. Guess that officially makes me a "BlackBerryChick", too.
I left a stack of my cards and am hoping that lots of people will go to my website and sign up to be notified when we launch OnTimeRx for BlackBerry. Hopefully, that will happen by the end of the month!!!
...or at least soon, very soon!
Monday, February 9, 2009
Service Dogs as Caregivers
TOTALLY AWESOME!!! ...
What a "warm and fuzzy" concept in caregiving.
It's truly amazing how many tasks these animals can perform for their owners.
OnTimeRx medication reminders can perform some helpful reminder tasks for people and their animals, too.
A long-time user of OnTimeRx manages a support website for owners of Service Dogs. This young lady has to manage multiple medications to treat her own health problems and at the same time, she's ultimately responsible for the care, health, and well-being of her own service dog. It's impressive how well she manages everything and even has time to go out and help promote OnTimeRx at the various conventions she attends (with her trusty service dog, of course.)
One of the most challenging dosage requirements is managing medications taken every 4 hours "as needed". This is a complex schedule to automate, because computers have no way of knowing when a drug will be needed. OnTimeRx has a unique method of scheduling such medications, which is explained in our User's Manual under Item#5 - the Hourly/PRN dosing routine. This method allows the user to log a dose and then automatically set an alarm for the next allowed dose (in 4 hours). As that next dose is logged, another alarm can be schedule for the next allowed dose, and so on.
This feature is especially helpful for managing pain medications, as this user comment indicates:
Richard Hamilton, a nurse says: 6/7/2006
"I found this software after I had a heart attack, and I highly recommend it to anyone. It's easy to use and very handy with the desk top program. Besides my heart meds, I am also a chronic pain patient and must take as many as 15 different meds at all different times. Thanks to OnTimeRx, I have missed none. My doctors think your program is great, too."
Many dedicated OnTimeRx users attest to the intuitiveness of all the features, and the overall usefulness and flexibility of OnTimeRx reminders. While Service Dogs are very smart, they cannot manage everything on their own - even with the help of OnTimeRx. They must rely on their owner's to remember to give them their medications so they can stay healthy.
Service Dogs provide a unique combination of companionship and caregiving and deserve all the LOVE and RESPECT we humans can give them.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Sci-Fi meets "Little Shop of Horrors"!!
Lots of people dread dental appointments but I actually look forward to mine. It's always a learning experience.
My dental hygeinist knows I'm passionate about patient compliance and she shared the "latest" drug delivery method that she learned about recently. It's a Doozie!
Apparently, some geniuses have developed a new dental implant as a method of delivering drugs around the clock. (We've all heard of the handy cyanide pellet in a tooth, but this implant is supposed to help keep people alive.)
As I understand it, this "custom made tooth/drug dispenser" has tiny slits which allow the drug to leach out into the buccal or sublingual area on a 24-hour sustained-release basis. This way the patients won't have to remember to take pills. He just has to have some teeth missing to make room for the implant.
At first blush, it sounded like a fairly interesting approach to a huge problem... but lots of issues come to mind. While this might work OK for one drug, what happens if problems occur - a side effect develops - and/or the drug dosage changes? Do they have to jank the tooth?
From my experience, the people who are most non-compliant usually are supposed to be taking several drugs throughout the day. Does this mean they'll need a full set of special drug-leaching dentures? Also, how does the patient get a "refill" - or refills! He's not going to be able to call the pharmacy and have a new set waiting - that's for sure! And we haven't even begun to address the COST!!!
Honestly, it's interesting, but this doesn't sound like a very practical solution to me. I'll take OnTimeRx reminders any day, thank you very much. Then my doctors can change my medications as my medical needs change and I'll still be able to manage very nicely.
My dental hygeinist knows I'm passionate about patient compliance and she shared the "latest" drug delivery method that she learned about recently. It's a Doozie!
Apparently, some geniuses have developed a new dental implant as a method of delivering drugs around the clock. (We've all heard of the handy cyanide pellet in a tooth, but this implant is supposed to help keep people alive.)
As I understand it, this "custom made tooth/drug dispenser" has tiny slits which allow the drug to leach out into the buccal or sublingual area on a 24-hour sustained-release basis. This way the patients won't have to remember to take pills. He just has to have some teeth missing to make room for the implant.
At first blush, it sounded like a fairly interesting approach to a huge problem... but lots of issues come to mind. While this might work OK for one drug, what happens if problems occur - a side effect develops - and/or the drug dosage changes? Do they have to jank the tooth?
From my experience, the people who are most non-compliant usually are supposed to be taking several drugs throughout the day. Does this mean they'll need a full set of special drug-leaching dentures? Also, how does the patient get a "refill" - or refills! He's not going to be able to call the pharmacy and have a new set waiting - that's for sure! And we haven't even begun to address the COST!!!
Honestly, it's interesting, but this doesn't sound like a very practical solution to me. I'll take OnTimeRx reminders any day, thank you very much. Then my doctors can change my medications as my medical needs change and I'll still be able to manage very nicely.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Patients aren't Compliant - why?
"I get asked this question a lot!" (a quote from Craig Ferguson, TV's host of the Late,Late Show)
Most recently (today!) I was asked "...which chronic conditions are associated with the poorest compliance rates?" by a healthcare communications agency in the UK. Here's my reply:
I have no robust data, as requested, but compliance is pretty poor across the board. I've spent my entire pharmacy career trying to wrestle the compliance problem into submission. Frustratingly, the main barrier often comes from the patient himself. Few realize or will admit they're being noncompliant, so they don't seek ways to correct a problem they don't think they have! Denial is so much easier. Just ignore it and it will go away...
However, from my own personal experience, I'd have to say that diabetics face the most challenges with compliance. Diabetes is on the rise in the US, largely becaus oebesity is out of control and has almost become a "growth industry".
These patients have "3 strikes against them" from the day they are diagnosed.
Strike 1 - Many diabetics are poorly educated, and probably never fully understand why all these things are necessary.
Strike 2 - Many have limited income, so they don't or can't eat properly.
Strike 3 - More importantly, their drug regimen can be very complicated and difficult to follow under the best of circumstances.
Sadly, many never fully grasp or accept the seriousness of their disease until it's too late., resulting in amputation of limbs, loss of eyesight, loss of kidney function... This disastrous list is nearly endless.
At OnTimeRx, we've focused on simplifying routines with reminders to enable organ transplant recipients, HIV/AIDS patients, and diabetics because it's very difficult for them to manage their complex drug regimens. Compliance is important for everyone, and even a slight improvement would save billions of dollars every year. Ultimately, patients would be able to stay healthier and have better treatment outcomes. Win-Win!
I invite everyone to test our software reminder solutions and even the automated email reminders available on our website. Reminders really do help as evidenced by our unsolicited User Testimonials.
Here's to your health!
Most recently (today!) I was asked "...which chronic conditions are associated with the poorest compliance rates?" by a healthcare communications agency in the UK. Here's my reply:
I have no robust data, as requested, but compliance is pretty poor across the board. I've spent my entire pharmacy career trying to wrestle the compliance problem into submission. Frustratingly, the main barrier often comes from the patient himself. Few realize or will admit they're being noncompliant, so they don't seek ways to correct a problem they don't think they have! Denial is so much easier. Just ignore it and it will go away...
However, from my own personal experience, I'd have to say that diabetics face the most challenges with compliance. Diabetes is on the rise in the US, largely becaus oebesity is out of control and has almost become a "growth industry".
These patients have "3 strikes against them" from the day they are diagnosed.
Strike 1 - Many diabetics are poorly educated, and probably never fully understand why all these things are necessary.
Strike 2 - Many have limited income, so they don't or can't eat properly.
Strike 3 - More importantly, their drug regimen can be very complicated and difficult to follow under the best of circumstances.
Sadly, many never fully grasp or accept the seriousness of their disease until it's too late., resulting in amputation of limbs, loss of eyesight, loss of kidney function... This disastrous list is nearly endless.
At OnTimeRx, we've focused on simplifying routines with reminders to enable organ transplant recipients, HIV/AIDS patients, and diabetics because it's very difficult for them to manage their complex drug regimens. Compliance is important for everyone, and even a slight improvement would save billions of dollars every year. Ultimately, patients would be able to stay healthier and have better treatment outcomes. Win-Win!
I invite everyone to test our software reminder solutions and even the automated email reminders available on our website. Reminders really do help as evidenced by our unsolicited User Testimonials.
Here's to your health!
Friday, January 23, 2009
Freedom and Independence - Every Day
Freedom and Independence - powerful words to live by and very important topics these days - in more ways than one.
When your "days dwindle down to a precious few", where would you rather be? At Home or in a Nursing Home - DUH!!! That's a No Brainer!
No matter how old I get, I never think of myself as OLD or belonging in that crowd - a bunch of "old people"? No WAY!!!. Being in familiar surroundings at home is much nicer than being a "stranger in a strange place", thank you very much!
Most importantly, I don't want to rely on anyone else to tell me everything I need to do. I can preserve, protect, defend, and maintain my own personal Freedom and Independence. So Don't call Homeland Security on my account! Here's how I handle it all by myself and you can, too:
I use reminders for medications, doctor appointments, and all my bloodwork and lab tests. Really... for absolutely everything!
For my EYES! - Like a lot of older people, I have macular degeneration in both eyes and have to look at a grid to check for any changes in my vision - EVERY DAY!!! My husband and I both get a "Check your Grid!" reminder daily by email, which I scheduled in my online OnTimeRx automated reminder account.
For my MEDICATION REMINDERS - These are set up in OnTimeRx software on a Palm Z22 device. Every dose of my 18 daily pills is taken and automatically logged when the alarms tell me to. Like thousands of other OTRx users, I absolutely could not live without this software!
Even for my BANKING - We all have to be fiscally responsible and keep our accounts up-to-date. I just got a reminder on my computer monitor to check my bank balance online. That one is set up in my OnTimeRx-Windows software program.
These are just a few of ways I use reminders on a daily basis. I'll tell you about more in another post... but you can try any or all of these for yourself at: http://www.ontimerx.com
When your "days dwindle down to a precious few", where would you rather be? At Home or in a Nursing Home - DUH!!! That's a No Brainer!
No matter how old I get, I never think of myself as OLD or belonging in that crowd - a bunch of "old people"? No WAY!!!. Being in familiar surroundings at home is much nicer than being a "stranger in a strange place", thank you very much!
Most importantly, I don't want to rely on anyone else to tell me everything I need to do. I can preserve, protect, defend, and maintain my own personal Freedom and Independence. So Don't call Homeland Security on my account! Here's how I handle it all by myself and you can, too:
I use reminders for medications, doctor appointments, and all my bloodwork and lab tests. Really... for absolutely everything!
For my EYES! - Like a lot of older people, I have macular degeneration in both eyes and have to look at a grid to check for any changes in my vision - EVERY DAY!!! My husband and I both get a "Check your Grid!" reminder daily by email, which I scheduled in my online OnTimeRx automated reminder account.
For my MEDICATION REMINDERS - These are set up in OnTimeRx software on a Palm Z22 device. Every dose of my 18 daily pills is taken and automatically logged when the alarms tell me to. Like thousands of other OTRx users, I absolutely could not live without this software!
Even for my BANKING - We all have to be fiscally responsible and keep our accounts up-to-date. I just got a reminder on my computer monitor to check my bank balance online. That one is set up in my OnTimeRx-Windows software program.
These are just a few of ways I use reminders on a daily basis. I'll tell you about more in another post... but you can try any or all of these for yourself at: http://www.ontimerx.com
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Care Bears or Care Barriers?
What if Granny lives alone and starts needing help with daily activities? How do you handle it?
OnTimeRx automated reminders can be a wonderful solution as long as all parties "buy into" the process and there are no "surprises".
It is normal to be concerned when certain things start to slip, but It can get pretty tricky providing for the care needs of a senior without seeming to meddle or take over. The health and well-being of a parent may be your responsibility now, but most parents prefer to remain very independent and want everything to stay just the way it's always been.
Here's 3 things you should NOT do:
1. Don't ask her if she knows she's missing some of her pills. This puts her on the defensive right away, and she will probably deny that this ever happens or that it is a real problem.
2. Don't count the pills out in front of her to prove that there are too many left. Even though her prescriptions are lasting too long and it's quite obvious, this will tend to be demeaning.
3. Don't simply start sending reminder phone calls without her permission. It's not a good idea to surprise anyone with automated calls. They may get even more confused and wonder why this strange person is calling everyday.
So what can you do? Here's 4 things that should help::
1. Do pay her a sincere compliment. Tell her how much you appreciate all she's done for you in the past and ask how she managed to take such good care of the family all those years. Listen - actively and quietly. There may be some real gems in her answer.
2. Do ask her if there's anything you can do now that might make it easier for her at this stage in life? Turn about is fair play! This may also reveal some issues you might not have considered.
3. Do discuss her daily routine and find out which activities she really enjoys. If there are some that are a problem, ask what might make it better.
4. Do ask if she would be willing to help you eliminate some your daily stresses. Explain that you've found a very simple phone service that helps you stay organized, and ask if she'd like to try it, too. Explain that the calls are automated and it relieves you from "clock-watching" to get things done. Suggest trying the calls for a few days to see if a reminder might help her routine, too. If she mentions reminders for medications, GREAT! (But don't count on it...)
Several family caregivers have found that OnTimeRx reminders work well for non-medication related daily activities.
Example #1: One very socially active gentleman lives alone and likes to go out dancing every evening. He takes a nap in the afternoon and sometimes he sleeps so soundly that he would miss his "dancing date". Not only was this disappointing to his dancing partners, it thoroughly messed up his evening. So his daughter scheduled a wake-up call every afternoon that says: "Nap time is over, Dad! It's time to go dancing. Have a great evening."
Example #2: A lady living in an assisted living facility was frequently missing her mealtimes. The family paid for a full meal plan, but Mother often didn't get down to the dining room in time to eat. The daughter asked for her help. Because Mother was from the "Depression era", the daughter knew she didn't like the idea that food was being paid for and wasted, so she agreed to get a daily call at mealtimes and hasn't missed a meal since, and she's actually put on some needed weight in the process. Win-Win!
OnTimeRx automated reminders can be a wonderful solution as long as all parties "buy into" the process and there are no "surprises".
It is normal to be concerned when certain things start to slip, but It can get pretty tricky providing for the care needs of a senior without seeming to meddle or take over. The health and well-being of a parent may be your responsibility now, but most parents prefer to remain very independent and want everything to stay just the way it's always been.
Here's 3 things you should NOT do:
1. Don't ask her if she knows she's missing some of her pills. This puts her on the defensive right away, and she will probably deny that this ever happens or that it is a real problem.
2. Don't count the pills out in front of her to prove that there are too many left. Even though her prescriptions are lasting too long and it's quite obvious, this will tend to be demeaning.
3. Don't simply start sending reminder phone calls without her permission. It's not a good idea to surprise anyone with automated calls. They may get even more confused and wonder why this strange person is calling everyday.
So what can you do? Here's 4 things that should help::
1. Do pay her a sincere compliment. Tell her how much you appreciate all she's done for you in the past and ask how she managed to take such good care of the family all those years. Listen - actively and quietly. There may be some real gems in her answer.
2. Do ask her if there's anything you can do now that might make it easier for her at this stage in life? Turn about is fair play! This may also reveal some issues you might not have considered.
3. Do discuss her daily routine and find out which activities she really enjoys. If there are some that are a problem, ask what might make it better.
4. Do ask if she would be willing to help you eliminate some your daily stresses. Explain that you've found a very simple phone service that helps you stay organized, and ask if she'd like to try it, too. Explain that the calls are automated and it relieves you from "clock-watching" to get things done. Suggest trying the calls for a few days to see if a reminder might help her routine, too. If she mentions reminders for medications, GREAT! (But don't count on it...)
Several family caregivers have found that OnTimeRx reminders work well for non-medication related daily activities.
Example #1: One very socially active gentleman lives alone and likes to go out dancing every evening. He takes a nap in the afternoon and sometimes he sleeps so soundly that he would miss his "dancing date". Not only was this disappointing to his dancing partners, it thoroughly messed up his evening. So his daughter scheduled a wake-up call every afternoon that says: "Nap time is over, Dad! It's time to go dancing. Have a great evening."
Example #2: A lady living in an assisted living facility was frequently missing her mealtimes. The family paid for a full meal plan, but Mother often didn't get down to the dining room in time to eat. The daughter asked for her help. Because Mother was from the "Depression era", the daughter knew she didn't like the idea that food was being paid for and wasted, so she agreed to get a daily call at mealtimes and hasn't missed a meal since, and she's actually put on some needed weight in the process. Win-Win!
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