Improving medication adherence: independent living with Hero
Watch Dr. Ira Wilson from Brown University discuss the Hero and how it can be instrumental in helping people with chronic illnesses manage their medications. As a result of better medical adherence, people suffering from chronic illnesses can live healthier and, ultimately, more independent lives.
Medication adherence leads to longer, healthier, & happier lives
People with chronic diseases often take multiple medications, multiple times a day. These medications must be taken at the right time, every time in order to be effective. Simply being 100% adherent to a medication regimen will lead to healthier outcomes and patients who should experience less fatigue and sickness. Taking medications as described can also decrease a patient's risk of re-admission to the hospital and, in extreme cases, the need to move into a nursing home or assisted living facility.
Transcript from Dr. Ira Wilson:
One of the problems, of course, when you have chronic diseases and multiple medications, is taking your pills and taking them regularly. It goes without saying that if you don't take them regular, take them correctly. They don't have the effect that they should. So, in one sense, taking pills regularly should make people more healthy, meaning it should, from on a day-to-day basis, should make them more able to do what they wanna do, and be less tired, et cetera. At another level, it's important because it should prevent hospital stays, and other adverse events which can really be extremely damaging. And in the extremes, sometimes these events cause people to end up in nursing homes or assisted living situations, or to lose their independence. So, the goal here is to facilitate that process in a way which will allow people to have the lives they want for as long as possible.
Hero helps people with chronic illnesses stay independent
The ability to consistently take medication at the right time every day is often the difference between someone being able to continue to live independently and having to be admitted into some sort of assisted living facility. Hero can provide, to both members and their loved ones, the comfort and assurances needed to maintain independent living.
Transcript from Dr. Ira Wilson:
One of the things that almost everybody with a chronic illness or with multiple chronic illness is always thinking about is how long can I be independent? How long can I be on my own? And now, there are lots of interesting transitional housing type arrangements from living in your own home to being in an assisted living to unfortunately living in nursing homes. But, we have to think about all the devices, all the technologies, and all the support mechanisms that will allow people to stay on their own, in their own homes, for as long as possible. And to the extent that good medication taking, proper medication taking, along with other types of medical care, allows people with a lot of chronic illnesses to be independent. Then Hero should and could play a role in keeping people out of assisted living facilities, out of the hospital, out of nursing homes and on their own. And that's, of course, tremendously beneficial to them. It's also tremendously beneficial to their families.
Complex med schedule? We solved it.
Hero’s smart dispenser reminds you to take your meds and dispenses the right dose, at the right time.
The contents of the above article are for informational and educational purposes only. The article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified clinician with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or its treatment and do not disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of information published by us. Hero is indicated for medication dispensing for general use and not for patients with any specific disease or condition. Any reference to specific conditions are for informational purposes only and are not indications for use of the device.
