Alzheimer’s disease, a form of dementia that affects millions of individuals globally, can be a complex and emotional journey, both for those diagnosed and their loved ones or caregivers. It can lead to memory loss, confusion, and difficulty in performing even the simplest daily tasks.

One of the most critical aspects of managing Alzheimer’s is managing medications safely and effectively, ensuring the right doses are taken at the right times. For caregivers, this responsibility can be overwhelming, yet innovative solutions like Webster-pak medication packs are crucial tools that not only simplify medication management but also empower patients to maintain their independence for longer.” says Pharmacist Danielle Martusciello.

Key Benefits at a Glance:

• Relieving Anxiety: With clear labelling and pre-arranged doses, Webster-paks reduce the stress and anxiety often associated with medication management.
• Ensuring Safety: By eliminating the need to handle multiple pill bottles, Webster-paks minimise the risk of accidental errors.
• Supporting Caregivers: Caregivers can shift their focus from complex medication schedules to providing emotional support and companionship.
• Enhancing Adherence: Consistent medication intake, facilitated by Webster-paks, leads to better symptom management and improved overall health.

Gerard Stevens AM, Founder and Managing Director of ÍøÆسԹÏ, the company behind the Webster-pak, shares his perspective; “Helping with medication can be hard and time-consuming for caregivers. Many feel unsure as their role changes. Families might not know when or how to take over medication tasks, especially as the disease gets worse. Webster-paks do more than just organise medicine – they help Alzheimer’s patients manage their health and keep their independence and dignity. Our aim is to make taking medication easier and with greater assurance. We want patients and their loved ones to have more quality time together and peace of mind with medication.”

How to set up a Webster-pak® medication management system

For over 40 years, the Webster-pak – an Australian-invented and owned medication system – has brought relief to thousands of families.

• Contact your pharmacy, it is important to have all medication information in the one place
• Your pharmacist will go through and confirm all the medications you are taking, and contact your doctor if necessary to be 100% certain the Webster-pak is set up correctly
• Ask your pharmacist to set you up with a Webster-pak. Your pharmacist will manage your scripts and supply a week’s worth of medication packed into individual dosage times, so you know exactly what needs to be taken at the right time
• Each Webster-pak is arranged into four columns and seven rows. One column for each dosage time (breakfast, lunch, dinner, bedtime) and one row for each day of the week
• Each week you will return your used pack to the pharmacy and collect your new pack

Webster-pak Community Contact Us

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Increased use of electronic medication charts in aged care facilities could transform outcomes for the elderly, improving prescribing and management of medication and reducing harm.

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Aged Care Today Magazine – Autumn 2023

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To give you peace of mind, make sure your eNRMC provider can fulfil the following requirements:

• All medicines, including S8s, can be prescribed without a paper-based prescription.
• Data access is real-time, supported by the Cloud, but can also operate offline in WiFi blackspots. This is especially important in rural and remote areas.
• It is an end-to-end system that supports direct communication between the aged care home, the prescriber and the pharmacist. Having to use phone, fax and standard email adds confusion and unnecessary steps in the process.
• There is flexibility in the type of medication packing systems available to meet the differing needs of consumers.
• There is interoperability throughout the system and its components.
• The functionality is streamlined so no need to log in and out of system components.

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The post “Right Medication, Right Dose, at the Right Time” has Never Been so Assured appeared first on ÍøÆسԹÏ.

How DAAs are protecting the independence of patients and safeguarding quality medication management in home care.

Effective medication management plays a large part in maintaining safety and quality standards in home care. report found, 250,000 hospital admissions in Australia each year are due to medicine-related problems and half of these are preventable. Medication management is dictated by the policies, procedures and systems that care organisations have in place; but it can also be as simple as the efforts of family members and care providers, helping patients with their regular Webster-pak®. Regardless of who is providing the support, it’s important to have tightly regulated conditions to protect against potential hazards related to mismanagement of medications.

Effective medication management largely impacts the independence of patients. The , states that patients should be encouraged to safely manage their own medications for as long as possible. By providing medication support and encouraging self-administration, we can delay the need for patients to be admitted to hospitals and residential aged care facilities, while also improving their well-being and sense of self proficiency.

Dose Administration Aids (DAAs) such as the Webster-pak® medication pack, play an important role in medication management as they prompt and assist the user to take their medications correctly and on time. The key benefits of the Webster-pak medication pack include a colour patient photo, brightly coloured dosage times, individual blisters, a full list of medicines, and large fonts – also available in the patient’s native language. These carefully designed features prompt the patient or care provider when to take each medication.

Safety and quality guidelines dictate that unless care providers are registered nurses or supervised by a registered nurse, they are not able to administer, but only prompt and assist in the self-administration of medication. This is where DAAs, such as the Webster-pak® medication pack, are valuable as they eliminate the need for care providers to make clinical decisions around medication administration. With the help of the Webster-pak®, medication management is simplified to prompt and assist practices in line with correct medication support guidelines.

DAAs such as the Webster-pak®, satisfy the extended Rights of Medication Support by ensuring administration;

• To the Right Person
• By the Right Route (mouth, eye, ear, skin)
• Of the Right Number of Tablets
• At the Right Time
• Accompanied by the Right Documentation

The Webster-pak® goes further to also address the Rights of Medication Administration that only Registered Nurses are qualified to complete to ensure the;

• Right Medication
• Right Dose

The Webster-pak® simplifies the process of taking medications as its features address all the above criteria for safe administration. According to the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF), all DAAs must be tamper proof and checked by a pharmacist, which means the integrity of the doctor’s medication order remains unchanged and safe for the patient. It also means it does not require a registered nurse onsite to check the correct medication and dosage before administration. To reduce risk of medication mismanagement or incorrect administration, you need to eliminate the need for care providers to make any clinical decisions when assisting their patients. DAAs achieve this by addressing all rights of medication support and administration. By using a Webster-pak®, all care providers – even those without training such as family members, can prompt and assist the administration of medicines of the right amount, at the right time.

An effective medication management plan makes use of DAAs in line with a Home Medication Review by the Doctor. A Home Medication Review maintains best practices of administration, compliance and storage of medicines. The full management process also includes the use of a signing sheet for documenting when medication was given, and a PocketProfile to ensure a full list of all medications a patient is taking is readily available for all care providers.

In line with the Home Medications Review, the capacity of the individual to self-administer and manage their own medications must constantly be assessed. When reviewing the capacity of the individual, we determine the extent of their abilities and make a judgement on the degree of external assistance the individual needs to maintain safe medication management. It is important to note that with a DAA system such as the Webster-pak®, safe management can be maintained at all levels of capability. Whether the patient can fully self-administer, if they need a family member or care provider, or even a registered nurse to assist them, Webster-pak® allows you to administer the correct medication at the correct time.

At every possible opportunity patient independence must be protected by encouraging and supporting individuals to self-administer their medication. When safe medication management practices such as Webster-pak® DAAs are in place, we can maintain the independence of elderly people and reduce the risk of hospitalization due to incorrect management of their medications.

Learn more about the Webster-pak® medication pack or call 1800 244 358 now to speak to our Professional Services team.

Attendant Care Industry Association. (2008). Administration of Oral Medication in the Community by Attendant Care Support Workers.

Australian Pharmaceutical Advisory Council. (2006). Guiding Principles for Medication Management in the Community. Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing.

Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation. (2013). Nursing Guidelines: Management of Medicines in Aged Care.

. (2020). Medication Management in Home Care. [Video Webinar]

Pharmaceutical Society of Australia. (2019). Medicine Safety: Take Care. Available at                                                                                                                                           

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