How do I get my dad to take his medication when I am not home?

Isabel, I know what you mean. My mom has this new thing now: she takes meds. until she thinks she is "better" then out the window everything goes. I tell her that some med/supplements/ vitamins are short term, and others are a lifetime thing. I tried all types of "reminder" gadgets...they were ignored or tossed out. As you said, you can only do what you can do. Even if a parent lives in your home it is hard to manage medications - it becomes another fulltime job!

Sad to say that there comes a time in some care circumstances that no number of phone calls, pill boxes or reminders will do the trick. I've been there for more than a year now. I am the live tickler system.

Maybe his memory is failing? If you think his memory is ok, ask him how come he's not taking his medicine. He may tell you he's tired of taking his meds, and may be a signal that he is depressed. He just may be confused, or think that he has already taken his medicine? It is frustrating, for sure when one realizes it is happening. May also feel like it takes some time until it sinks in for you regarding what is happening. Sometimes in elder care affirmations are smoke screens.

ive done that to my dad give him his weekly box full of pills .
he doesnt think to take them . it got all screwed up and i ended up giving him his meds every am and every pm . so i ll know he does take those meds .
i mix dad s meds in with apple sauce , he swallow them better , no more handin it over to him cuz they end up on the floor . afraid my grandbabies will eat em .

We used the pill box that has the days of the week and the Am or PM very large on it but, if we called her to remind her to take the meds my Mother in law would say she had taken them. We filled the box up weekly and visited several times a week and she would miss everytime we didn't go. Now we have moved her and have to put them in her hand with a glass of water 2 times daily and watch her take them. A friend of hers visits on Sunday so we spend the day doing 'our thing'. We asked the friend to give the meds to her but, he didn't realize that he had to put them in her hand and watch her take them. The first time this happened the AM pills were laying on the counter when we got back, the PM pills were on the floor (I guess they fell) Mom-in-law said she didn't know where 'those pills' came from. Now the friend understands what he needs to do to help. What I'm trying to say is--they are like babies, you have to do things for them like you would a baby. Not only for meds but, baths, meals, getting clothes out, putting to bed, etc.

Yes I know it's exaperating that they don't take their meds. My mom seems to skip her nightime meds all together, so I now have them in with the daytime, but that means she does not get the double dose she needs, good thing they are not for any thing life threatening. Did you try putting them all in a pill reminder box? Thanks what I did, I even resorted to writing the days more clearly on them, and writing either BREAKFAST or DINNER meds right on the box, and then even went to putting numbers on them, nothing really worked. Thank god her caregiver has the box opened to the proper meds for the next morning to take. Try to see if different little tricks as I have mentioned helps.
Yeah caregiver duties does suck..try being an only child and yeah guess who gets to do ALL OF IT? Only thing you can do is grin and bear it and while doing it try to keep yourself sane and positive...come visit us more often here and you will see how we get bewildered here as well!

My family is suppose to see to it that he gets his meds daily and make sure someone is taking care of him. So now I am home from work (I and my husband moved in with him) and his meds are still sitting at the table. Now, they are driving me nuts as much as he is. It seems that others are doing less and less and I am taking on more and more. This is getting REAL OLD!