Crushing Tablets

[chrisn]

Hi

Did you know that you should not ever crush pills unless a pharmcist has given instructions to do so, as some medications can work quite differently if they are crushed.

This is why on some instructions you see "swallow whole, do not chew"

There are many crushing/cutting devices available to buy but please check if with your pharmacist first...!!!

[entity]

Hi chrisn,

Did you know!

If a person refuses to take their medication three times in any setting, they cannot be made to do so, even crushing (hidding it in food) is a problem. According to a state registered nurse and hospital social worker you cannot forcibly make someone take it against their will otherwise it is classed as a form of assault/abuse.

[chrisn]

Hi

Yes you are exactly right there, especially about hiding the medication in food being considered as assault.

Most care agencies will now refuse to give medication from doseage boxes and has to be from the original packages - AND recorded on a MAR chart - dont get me going on this one though, when I worked as a care coordinator this was the bane of my life!!!

[poppett]

Dad gets his tablets and capsules on a weekly dosset blister pack from the chemist, and pops them each morning into his weetabix and hot milk................must taste awful............don`t know how the slow release capsules work as they melt into the yukky mixture. He will be 90 in August, so must be doing something right.

We used the MAARs system in the residential care home I worked in. Personally I prefer to take the tablets from their box when giving them to someone else, rather than the dossett box ready made up. At home I prepare tablets for my OH for two days at a time, and we have pill pods for when we go away which I make up for him too.

Take care
Meg