DEAR HARRIETTE: I feel like I am turning into my grandmother. I am in my 50s, and I have many of the chronic diseases that she has had since about my age. I am not proud of that, but it’s true.
One of the things I used to notice about her is that she would get confused about her medications, like when to take certain things. I used to worry that she was losing her memory. Now, I see that it’s way simpler than that -- it takes a lot to keep up with sorting through meds when you have a handful of them that have to be taken at different times. I want to manage my health to the best of my ability, but I don’t want people in my business, asking about my meds. How can I get this under control discreetly? -- Managing Meds
DEAR MANAGING MEDS: One of the frightening things about growing older with health concerns is managing medications. As our population ages, this issue has become more prevalent; it can be confusing to keep up with what to take and when -- and, frankly, many older people do suffer from memory loss. One popular solution may be beneficial to you. Either through your pharmacy or through one of the new online services like pillpack.com, you can arrange to have your prescriptions pre-packaged so that all you have to do is open an individual package that’s clearly marked with the date and time. Most insurance companies allow this service. Check it out.