Table 1.

Basic Aspects of Caregiver Role in Medication Management, Intervention Content

Content Area	Examples of content
Caregiver Responsibilities in Medication Management	Identify extent of involvement in medication management (pharmacy pick up, storage, pill box organizing, medication administration)
Common Problems in Medication Administration/Taking	Patient believes that the medication has already been taken Dysphagia
Preventing Medication Errors	Five rights (right person, time, dose, route, medication) Refill promptly
Talking with Healthcare Providers about Your Loved One’s Medications	Importance of reporting over-the-counter medications to provider Use a checklist to prepare for appointments
Community Resources	Alzheimer’s Association Support Groups Local pharmacist
Contingency Planning	Importance of creating “back up” plan for someone else to administer medications in case the primary caregiver becomes unavailable
Changes in Medication Taking	Discard discontinued medications Log and communicate changes and reasons for changing