Ticking is the whole point
For most people a tick box is a convenience. In dementia care it is the safety mechanism. The moment a dose is given it is marked, and the question of whether it was already taken is answered by the paper rather than by memory. Keep the sheet and a pen together, physically beside the medicines.
Keep the routine visually identical every day
Familiarity carries a great deal in dementia care. The same chart in the same place, with the same colour for the same medicine and the same hours, becomes part of the routine rather than a new instruction each time. Avoid moving the chart or changing the format once it is working.
Large print, few words
Print A3 so the hour numerals are large, and rely on the sunrise, sun and moon markers as much as the words. Keep each medicine name exactly as it appears on the box, so the two can be matched by sight without reading a full label.
Everyone reads the same sheet
Where a spouse, adult children and a visiting carer all help, the wall chart replaces three different recollections with one document. When the prescription changes, print a fresh sheet the same day and remove the old one — two charts on a wall is worse than none.
How to make one
- Enter the medicines and hours
- Print A3 for the wall and a tick sheet
- Keep a pen with the sheet and tick every dose
Questions
Should the person manage their own chart?
Early on, often yes, with supervision. As things progress, a carer should take responsibility for ticking.
What about medicines given only when distressed?
Those are listed separately in an as-needed strip, never in the hourly grid, so they are not given on a schedule.
Can I record who gave the dose?
Yes — carers can initial beside each tick on the printed sheet.
A note on safety. PillsChart reproduces the schedule you type. It does not check doses or interactions. Always follow the instructions from your doctor or pharmacist, and check the printed chart against the prescription before anyone relies on it.
More chart guides
Ready to make your chart?
It takes about two minutes and prints on one page. Nothing you type leaves your device.
Make a dementia care log