How to manage an elderly parent's medications

Before you use any app

• Gather every box and prescription and write down, per person, the name, the dose and the time of each medication.
• If something on a prescription isn't clear, ask the doctor or pharmacist before you write it down.
• Decide who confirms the doses: you, your parent, or whoever is with them.

Step by step with FamilyMeds

1. Add a profile for each parentIn Family › Add family member, with their name and relationship. You can add medical notes, such as allergies.
2. Add each medication with its scheduleName, dose, frequency and one time per dose. You can add instructions such as “take before bed” and turn on Take with food.
3. Enter how many pills are leftUnder Stock, enter the current quantity and when you want to be alerted. The Alerts inbox warns you before a medication runs out.
4. Confirm every doseWhen the reminder rings, mark it Taken. If a dose isn't confirmed, it shows up as overdue in Alerts.
5. Review the weekHistory shows each person's percentage of doses taken over 7, 30 or 90 days: useful for spotting missed doses and for telling the doctor how things are going.

Good to know

• Reminders arrive on the phone where you use FamilyMeds. If your parent lives elsewhere, install it on their phone or keep track from yours.
• The free plan covers 2 people with up to 5 medications each, with no ads and no expiry date. Pro adds more people and medications.
• FamilyMeds does not replace advice from your doctor or pharmacist: it reminds and records; it doesn't tell you what to take.

Frequently asked questions

How can I help my parents remember their medications?

With one list, a reminder for each dose, and someone checking every day that the doses were taken. FamilyMeds brings the three together: a profile per person, reminders at the exact time and a Today screen with what's pending.

Does it work if my mom isn't comfortable with phones?

Yes, you can run everything from your own phone: you get the reminders and mark the doses. When you tap a reminder, the app only asks whether the dose was taken: Taken or Snooze.

Can I track both my parents on the free plan?

Yes. The free plan includes 2 profiles with up to 5 medications each, with no ads and no expiry date. For more people or more medications there is FamilyMeds Pro.

Will the app tell me when pills are running out?

Yes, if you enter the quantity that's left. When it drops to the number you chose, a low-stock alert appears in Alerts.