2023
How to Remember to Take Your Medications
By: Emma Smith
Pharmacy Student
December 4th, 2023
What is one of the main reasons students struggle to take their medications?
It is challenging to remember to take your daily medications—whether it’s one pill or ten. Thought it was just you? It is extremely common to struggle with remembering to take medications; an estimated 50% of Americans do not take their medications as prescribed. This challenge is not a black-and-white issue, and there are many reasons for the struggle. However, there is one big reason that is preventable and easy to focus: forgetfulness.
Life is full of distractions and these distractions can often get in the way. While it may not be the most exciting task, taking your provider-prescribed medications regularly is one of the most important things you can do for your health. New college students are especially prone to forgetfulness with medications because of their new environment and new habits and routines. Regardless of what you are taking, medications work best when they are taken as prescribed. Whether you need to take medication daily or just finish a course of antibiotics, there are many strategies to help you stay on track. We’ve compiled a list of tips that may help.
Tips for remembering medications:
1. Set up a pillbox: Pillboxes are labeled with the days of the week and are a cheap and easy way to organize your pills.
2. Reminder alert or alarm: Use your phone or smartwatch to set up reminders or alarms. This will help you make sure you’re taking your medications at the same time every day.
3. Pill track app: There are many apps that assist with medication tracking and daily reminders like ExpressScripts, MediSafe, or EveryDose.
4. Leave yourself a note: This is a classic tool for any task. Leave yourself a note, and once you take the medication, you can cross it off the list. You can also use a dry erase board and erase the reminder after each dose.
5. Turn your pill bottle upside down: After you take your pills for the day you can turn the bottle over, just make sure to turn it upright at the end of the day for a fresh start tomorrow.
6. Combine it with a daily task: Also called “Habit Stacking”, try tying the taking of your medication with an activity you do daily like brushing your teeth or making coffee.
7. Keep it visible: To avoid the “out of sight, out of mind” issue, keep your medication in an easy place to see.
8. Automatic Refills: This is a convenient tool to set up refills that helps you avoid requesting medication every time you run out.
What if these reminders don’t work?
It doesn’t require a lot of time or effort to implement new strategies but sometimes there is not an easy answer. Still struggling? One of the best ways to problem solve is to talk with your pharmacist about the issue. Your pharmacist can discuss new ways to remember to take medications and can help you understand what your medication is for and how it benefits you.
Preventative Measures and Pharmacy Initiatives for Flu Season.
By: Ali Barakat
Pharmacy Student
November 28th, 2023
There are many steps that can be taken to minimize the spread of infection during flu season, including taking a trip to your local pharmacy. Although many of us are burned-out from the previous few years of the pandemic, including myself, preventative actions are necessary to ensure that we minimize future spread. Thankfully, the actions that the Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends are easy to follow. Taking these steps now can make sure that students and staff are able to remain in class and stay in great health.
Why is the flu season most common during winter?
When the weather starts to become cooler, people tend to migrate indoors where it is warmer. The closer we are to others, there is naturally a greater chance of spreading our colds. Like previous flu seasons, we are seeing an increase in rates of Influenza (flu), COVID-19, pneumonia and other viruses. Thankfully, there are vaccines available to prevent illness from the most common viruses.
How do we protect ourselves from the flu and other viruses?
The biggest weapon against this year’s flu season is the updated 2023-2024 Influenza vaccines, which you can get from nearly any pharmacy or doctor’s office. The vaccine covers the main types of Influenza Type A and B.
Additionally, there are updated COVID-19 vaccines and boosters available. In response to increasing rates of COVID-19, the CDC announced that people 5 years and older should receive one dose of the updated 2023–2024 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine.
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a respiratory virus that many of us forget about, including healthcare professionals. It generally affects children under 2 years and adults over 65, and it is recommended that these populations be vaccinated against the virus. These vaccines are also available at many pharmacies and doctor’s clinics.
Finally, the pneumococcal vaccination is recommended for adults over 65 and children under 5. Those in between 5-65 years of age may also receive the vaccine if they have additional risk factors for respiratory disease. Certain medical conditions, such as COPD or asthma, can make people more vulnerable to infection, which is why the vaccine is highly recommended.
How else can we prevent the spread of germs?
There are a few additional things that you can do now to protect yourself. Although some of the CDC’s recommendations may seem obvious, it is good practice to review them for our memory. First, the CDC recommends being aware of who is sick around you and trying to avoid close contact with them. Second, germs are most easily spread by touching the eyes, nose and mouth. Now knowing that, we can greatly reduce the chance of getting sick by not touching those three areas. Lastly, remember to wash your hands before cooking, eating, and after coming into contact with high touch surfaces. Let’s enjoy the cooler weather without being sick.