You don’t have to be a senior to have trouble swallowing pills, but seniors take more pills than most people so the percentage seems higher.
As a nurse, I see seniors taking anywhere from 4 to 14 pills at a sitting and many of them are very large. I don’t do well taking pills myself so it boggles my mind when I see someone toss a handful of pills into their mouth. It scares me a little too because every once in awhile it leads to choking and even aspiration pneumonia.
Vitamins, Glucosamine and calcium tabs are the biggest culprits and I often wonder if they are worth it. Apparently physicians feel that it is worth the risk because many seniors take one or all of these medications. People take a lot of pills, both prescription and over-the-counter.
Well, choking just isn’t any option. Some people find that taking pills with applesauce works for them, but I just read about a special cup that has been especially designed to make medicines go down easily. Oralflow (www.oralflo.com) has designed a cup that allows you to swallow your pills and water together without tipping your head backwards.
Okay, so it looks like what we used to call the “sippy cup” that we gave junior when it was time to switch from bottle to cup. Never fear, if it keeps you from being nervous when you take your medicine it is worth feeling a little silly. You simply fill the cup half way up, secure the special lid, drop the pill (it will accommodate any size) in the spout and drink naturally. The cup is inexpensive and effective. I plan on giving it a try myself.
Many medications should not be crushed for absorption reasons, not to mention that it makes a bitter gluey mess to try to stomach. I would love to hear about any other safe and easy ways to take medications.
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