4 Strategies when Individuals with Dementia Refuse Medication

Many patients with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia tend to have multiple medications they’re required to take each day. This can often be a tricky task for individuals living alone—forgetting a dose of medication or confusing pills can become commonplace and dangerous. For this reason it’s always a good idea to have someone there to help make sure the right pills get taken at the right time.

But what do we do when they refuse to take their medication?

Sometimes individuals with dementia will refuse and be reluctant to take medication because they don’t remember why they need it. Sometimes they simply don’t want to be told what to do—they want to feel independent.

So what should we do? First, we don’t want to force anything. If your parents or someone you’re caring for doesn’t want to take their medications, try some of these methods:

Work on timing.

Some of us just aren’t morning people, some of us get cranky in the evening. It’s normal right? So if the medication isn’t required to be taken at certain times throughout the day, figure out the time of day that they’re in the best mood. Once you find that time, they may be more likely to take medications without resistance.

If you have any doubts, be sure to talk to a doctor or pharmacist to make sure a new schedule will be ok.

Once you figure out the best time of day, make it routine. Dementia patients tend to work better and feel more comfortable with a routine.

Take a closer look at medications.

Do one of the medications have to be taken multiple times a day? Are they refusing to take it at a certain time? Talk to the doctor and see if there’s another option. Often times there are multiple medications that act very similar, while one may require it be taken 3x per day, the other may only require 2 doses. It’s always worth it to ask!

Is it a form of medication that they don’t like? Some people hate swallowing large pills, others can’t stand the taste of certain liquid medications. Figure out if there’s something about the medication itself that your loved one doesn’t like. A simple swap from pills to liquid (if available) could do the trick!

As medications change, keep a list and ask your doctor or pharmacist to look over it. Once in awhile, you may find that one medication they’re taking actually covers the job of a second medication, meaning you can eliminate one!

And don’t forget about OTC medications and vitamins. If they’re taking 3 different vitamins along with multiple prescription medications, that’s a lot of pills! Figure out what’s important and eliminate what isn’t.

Learn to explain things in a different way.

If your loved one isn’t taking a medication because they don’t think they need it, try changing the way you explain it. Instead of saying “this helps your arthritis” say something like, “sometimes your knee bothers you, this will help that.”

Simply taking a different, uncomplicated approach to explaining why they should take medications could be the only change you need to make!

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    [post_content] => Many patients with Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia tend to have multiple medications they’re required to take each day. This can often be a tricky task for individuals living alone—forgetting a dose of medication or confusing pills can become commonplace and dangerous. For this reason it’s always a good idea to have someone there to help make sure the right pills get taken at the right time.



But what do we do when they refuse to take their medication?

Sometimes individuals with dementia will refuse and be reluctant to take medication because they don’t remember why they need it. Sometimes they simply don’t want to be told what to do—they want to feel independent.

So what should we do? First, we don’t want to force anything. If your parents or someone you’re caring for doesn’t want to take their medications, try some of these methods:
Work on timing.
Some of us just aren’t morning people, some of us get cranky in the evening. It’s normal right? So if the medication isn’t required to be taken at certain times throughout the day, figure out the time of day that they’re in the best mood. Once you find that time, they may be more likely to take medications without resistance.

If you have any doubts, be sure to talk to a doctor or pharmacist to make sure a new schedule will be ok.

Once you figure out the best time of day, make it routine. Dementia patients tend to work better and feel more comfortable with a routine.
Take a closer look at medications.
Do one of the medications have to be taken multiple times a day? Are they refusing to take it at a certain time? Talk to the doctor and see if there’s another option. Often times there are multiple medications that act very similar, while one may require it be taken 3x per day, the other may only require 2 doses. It’s always worth it to ask!

Is it a form of medication that they don’t like? Some people hate swallowing large pills, others can’t stand the taste of certain liquid medications. Figure out if there’s something about the medication itself that your loved one doesn't like. A simple swap from pills to liquid (if available) could do the trick!

As medications change, keep a list and ask your doctor or pharmacist to look over it. Once in awhile, you may find that one medication they’re taking actually covers the job of a second medication, meaning you can eliminate one!

And don’t forget about OTC medications and vitamins. If they’re taking 3 different vitamins along with multiple prescription medications, that’s a lot of pills! Figure out what’s important and eliminate what isn’t.
Learn to explain things in a different way.
If your loved one isn’t taking a medication because they don’t think they need it, try changing the way you explain it. Instead of saying “this helps your arthritis” say something like, “sometimes your knee bothers you, this will help that.”

Simply taking a different, uncomplicated approach to explaining why they should take medications could be the only change you need to make!
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