Handbook for successful ageing - 9.7 - 9.7.4

9.7 Some advice for the differentiation of and the dealing with medicine and nutritional supplement
  

9.7.1 Pills
  

You can differentiate several pills by

a) their film:

- Are they arranged in two or three rows or placed parallelly, are they arranged in rows of seven, ten, fourteen or twenty?

- Are there lines between rows that can be felt?

or

b) their form:

- Round slices (with or without a slit), balls, lens, eggs or capsules(consistent or one within the other).

Since the packages are similar but the films rarely are, take them out and hold them together with a rubber band.

You can differentiate small tubes by putting a rubber band around the second tube and sticking Sellotape on the third tube.
 

The easiest way for pills you have to take regularly is to buy several weekly feeders at your pharmacy, and to ask a person who can see to sort your pills and dietary supplements for you (see above, 9.2) To take them drop them from the box in a cup, check if the unlocked compartments are really empty and then put the pills from the cup in your mouth. You can then swallow one after another with some liquid.
   

Mark the pills that you require occasionally by pasting large letters using a cardboard or on the packet.
  

9.7.2 Suppositories
 

Several uvula packages can be differentiated by rubber bands.
 

The casings of the individual uvulas are different from each other. Some uvulas have tongues of different length on the tips, smooth them out, search the longer one using the nail of the index finger and bend it. Casings of other uvulas have a cutting at the tip of the uvula and can be torn open there. If you have problems finding this cutting with your fingertip, ask someone who can see to tear the casing open slightly in advance.
 

9.7.3 Ointments
 

Fluid ointments, which you should rub on large areas, should be allowed to trickle from the tube into your hand. If you have to rub your back with it, put your hands together after the trickling so that you can use both your hands to spread the ointment. Very few semi-fluid ointments can be pressed into an index finger. In case of ointments which you require in very minute quantities, such as an ointment for the eyes, press your finger to the opening of the tube and only then press on the tube with the other hand.
  

Several tubes of the same size can be differentiated just like the small tubes (see above, 9.7.1).
 

9.7.4 Drops
  

Count drops for the circulation/ cardiac stimulants by pouring them on the tip of the tongue. If you need to give drops to a sick relative, allow the drops to drop into a yogurt cup with an upper rim and dilute it with a little water. The higher you hold the bottle, the louder the drops fall.
 

Drink the cough drops straight from the bottle.
 

Distinguish between several bottles of the same size again as explained for the small tubes (see above, 9.7.1).

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