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We are discussing Home Modifications: making your home safe and easy.
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Question:
If a person needs to take medication everyday, but has advanced arthritis in both hands and fingers, and they are finding it difficult to open websterpack, what other options are there so this person could still take their own medication on their own.

Answer:
Merridy-There are a range of pill dosage containers available to help people manage their medications. Like Webster Paks, pill containers have compartments that are labeled for day and time (e.g. morning, midday, evening, night). The pill containers may have flip-up lids or slide-open compartments, both of which may be much easier to open than a Webster Pak.

Most pharmacists will dispense the tablets prescribed by your doctor into a pill container. The potential drawback for some is that pill containers are not usually as “tamper proof” as a Webster Pak. Some pill containers have clip locks on the compartments to reduce the likelihood of tampering/mix ups. However these clip locks are often small and may be too difficult to manage for someone with arthritis.

If these solutions are not suitable, Technical Aid to the Disabled, a volunteer organization that custom-make assistive equipment, may be able to make a device to assist with opening a Webster Pak. There is a Technical Aid to the Disabled based in most states.

For further information regarding medication dosage containers (including cost and supplier details) or Technical Aid to the Disabled, contact the Independent Living Centre in your state on phone 1300 885 886 or visit the Independent Living Centre website.

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