Thinking of buying a pill organiser?

A 2017 UK observational study in care homes revealed that the error rate associated with taking tablets and capsules from their original packaging was 3 times higher compared to using multi-compartment compliance aids, i.e., a pill organiser. That’s quite significant in our view, so we thought we’d take a deeper look.

We found that pill organiser benefits extend to:

• Providing easily accessible medicine storage
• Reducing the complexity of medicine adherence
• Minimising risk of taking incorrect doses of medicines
• Acting as a memory aid
• Indicating whether medicine doses have been administered or taken
• Facilitating the work of carers and care workers.

Medicines are a fact of life for many of us, irrespective of age. Taking the right pill at the right time is a simple idea, but a medication schedule isn’t always easy to follow. There can be serious adverse consequences if medication is taken incorrectly, so whether it’s treating a chronic condition, caring for a loved one, or taking a daily vitamin, a good pill organiser can offer a simple way to manage and potentially avoid a lot of anxiety. Healthcare routines are very personal, so choosing the ideal pill organiser for your lifestyle will be highly dependent on your individual needs.

There’s a lot of choice out there, from the cheap and cheerful to the more pricey organisers, which come with a few bells and whistles. The important thing is what’s right for you and your needs. Something too flimsy might not withstand regular use for long or not be suitable for travelling. However, something more robust with digital reminder notifications might be a little complicated for some. Basically, you’ll be looking for a pill organiser with the ideal number of compartments, the right size, and a robust build quality that is easy to use. So let’s take a look at the key things you’ll need to think about.

Pill Organiser: Things to Consider

Number of Pill Organiser Compartments

The most basic type is the weekly pill organiser, with seven boxes marked for each day. This is the simplest and most straightforward configuration (aside from a single-compartment pill box). There are larger versions with more rows of boxes if your daily doses extend to the morning, afternoon, or evening. And then there are monthly organisers with multiple rows to cater for longer-term schedules and single or multiple daily doses.

The nature of your medication schedule dictates the type of pill organiser you’ll need (weekly or monthly), which in turn determines the number of compartments you’ll need and the general size of the organiser.

A relatively complex schedule can be facilitated by using a pill organiser, but it might need a lot of compartments. More compartments usually mean a bulkier organiser, so consider whether you’ll ever need something more compact if you travel a lot.

Size of Pill Organiser Compartments

If you take large pills or relatively sizeable quantities, you’ll want compartments big enough to accommodate them comfortably. Cramming might hinder safe locking of the compartment lid, potentially leading to broken-up and scattered pills, chaos, and confusion! So look out for extra-large compartments, if needed. Again, this will impact the size of the organizer, so make sure it’s compact enough if you’re travelling.

Pill Organiser Markings

You’ll want to see clear markings and/or a colour scheme for the day or time of day on each compartment. Braille markings or raised letters might be a must or just useful if your eyesight is impaired.

Easy to Open and Close Securely

Compartment lids or tabs must be easy to open and close, particularly if you have arthritis or other conditions that cause hand pain or weakness. Often, they will have a ‘pop-up’ push button to make opening easier. Some pill organisers have compartments with a rounded base for easy pill retrieval. Rubberized (or silicone) grips or feet to aid one-handed use are often features too.

Pill Organiser Quality

The build quality needs to be robust and solid enough to withstand daily hazards like dropping it or liquid spillages, and maybe cope with frequent packing away for travel. Cheap and cheerful organisers have their uses, but you might end up having to make repeated purchases due to excessive wear and tear.

Cognitive Abilities

Choosing the best pill organiser depends, to a large extent, on your cognitive abilities. If your doses are simple, a weekly pill organiser with only one box for each day might do the job. However, if you take certain pills at different times of day, a pill dispenser with designated boxes for morning, afternoon, and evening could better serve your needs. And if you sometimes forget to take medications, you might need a pill organiser with a reminder alarm or smart pill organiser (see below) that releases the correct dose at the proper time of day.

The choice is sometimes more difficult for a loved one or care worker. A fancy ‘smart” organiser or dispenser might have great functionality like reminders, alerts and digital monitoring systems if the person doesn’t have the cognitive ability to actually take the medications once they are dispensed, then it won’t matter. Every situation is unique and often changing. It’s vital to regularly check that any particular system is working and make adaptations if necessary.

Smart Pill Organisers (Automatic Pill Dispensers)

Where there are concerns about forgetting to take or taking too many, a smart pill organiser (also called an automatic pill dispenser) could be a solution. These can store several weeks of medication and multiple pills and dispense them according to a pre-programmed system.

They may come with bluetooth connectivity and a smartphone app interface, missed dose notifications, reminders and alerts, or even a medical alert option for emergencies. Needless to say, they can be pricey but the benefits can be huge if used correctly.

Some smart pill organisers come with a lock or PIN to prevent overdosage, which can be especially helpful for someone with Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia. With a locked dispenser, the caregiver uses a key or PIN to access and dispense medications.

Storage & Maintenance

Make sure the pill organiser can be snapped shut securely, rendering it waterproof, but in any case, you’ll need to place or store it in a clean and dry place. Ideally, it should be made of BPA-free food-grade materials. It’s worth noting that pill organisers will not be suitable for suppositories, liquids, or creams. You might also want to check that the organiser is dishwasher-safe if that’s how you intend to clean it. Otherwise, soap and water should do it.

General Safety

Not all pill organisers have a child safety lock or lid, so if that’s a consideration, make sure you identify that on the product specifications.

Hopefully we’ve given you some pointers to think about what goes into buying the right pill organiser for your needs. If you’re not completely clear about how to organise your personal medication schedule a decent pill organiser is a great place to start. Have a browse through a listing of some of our favourites below.

Explore the Market

There are a wide variety of BPA-free, pill-box liquids, and organiser options on the market. These will range from very basic pop-up boxes to quite sophisticated electronic dispensers. We’ve selected some options below to suit all types of needs:

Basic & Practical

Portability or Large Capacity Options

Electronic Reminders

Dispensers

Pill Cutters

If you need to find a care agency in your area, use our directory search here.