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. pill organizers. That’s quite significant in our view so we thought we’d take a deeper look.
We found that pill organizer 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 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 organizer can offer a simple way to manage and potentially avoid a lot of anxiety. Healthcare routines are very personal, so choosing the ideal pill organizer 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 more pricey organizers 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 organizer with the ideal number of compartments, the right size and a robust build-quality which is easy to use. So let’s have a look at the key things you’ll need to think about.
Things to Consider
Number of Compartments
The most basic type is the weekly pill organizer with seven boxes marked for each day. This is the simplest 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 morning, afternoon or evening. And then there are monthly organizers 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 organizer you’ll need (weekly or monthly) which in turn determines the number of compartments you’ll need and the general size of the organizer.
A relatively complex schedule can be facilitated by using a pill organizer but it might need a lot of compartments. More compartments usually means more a more bulky organizer so consider whether you’ll ever something more compact if you travel a lot.
Size of 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 on the size of the organizer so make sure it’s compact enough if you’re travelling.
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 organizers 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.
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 travelling. Cheap and cheerful organizers have their use but you might end up having to make repeated purchases due to excessive wear and tear.
Cognitive Abilities
Choosing the best pill organizer depends to a large extent on your cognitive abilities. If your doses are simple, a weekly pill organizer 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 organizer with a reminder alarm or smart pill organizer (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” organizer 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 adaptions, if necessary.
Smart Pill Organizers (Automatic Pill Dispensers)
Where there are concerns about forgetting to take or taking too many, a smart pill organizer (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 organizers come with a lock or PIN to prevent over-dosage, 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 organizer 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 made of BPA-free food grade materials. It’s worth noting that pill organizers will not be suitable for suppositories, liquids or creams. You might want to also check that an organizer is dishwasher safe if that’s how you intend to clean it. Otherwise, soap and water should do it.
General Safety
Not all pill organizers 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 organizer for your needs. If you’re not completely clear about how to organize your personal medication schedule a decent pill organizer 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 Pill Box Organizer options on the market. These will range from the 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
| 7 Day Electronic Pill Organizer 4 Reminders per Day 7 Compartments | More Info | |
| Mini Electronic Pill Organizer 5 Reminders per Day 4 Compartments | More Info | |
Dispensers
| Manual Pill Dispenser Child Lock Function 14 Compartments | More Info |
| Automatic Pill Dispenser 6 Dispenses per Day 28 Compartments | More Info |