caregiver-medication-management

name	caregiver-medication-management
description	Produces medication tracking systems for caregivers including medication list templates, dosing schedule organizers, pharmacy coordination checklists, provider communication templates, and refill management workflows. Teaches caregivers how to maintain accurate medication records and coordinate with healthcare providers and pharmacies. Use when the user asks about organizing medications for a family member, setting up medication tracking, or coordinating prescriptions. Do NOT use for medication selection, dosing decisions, or advice on whether to take or stop any medication -- those decisions require a physician.
license	Apache-2.0
metadata	{"author":"foundry-skills","version":"1.0.0","tags":"elder-care checklist template","category":"family-relationships","subcategory":"caregiving","depends":"","disclaimer":"none","difficulty":"intermediate"}

Medication Management for Caregivers

Important: This skill teaches medication TRACKING and COORDINATION systems for caregivers. It does NOT provide guidance on medication selection, dosing adjustments, drug interactions, or whether any medication should be taken, changed, or stopped. All medication decisions require direction from a licensed physician or pharmacist.

When to Use

Use this skill when:

• User asks about organizing medications for an aging parent or family member
• User wants to set up a medication tracking system or schedule
• User needs templates for recording and managing prescriptions
• User asks about coordinating between multiple pharmacies or physicians
• User wants to create a medication list for emergency use or physician visits

Do NOT use this skill when:

• User asks whether a specific medication should be taken or stopped (physician decision)
• User asks about drug interactions or side effects (pharmacist or physician consultation)
• User asks about medication dosing or adjusting doses (physician decision)
• User wants to compare medications or choose between treatment options (physician decision)
• User asks about over-the-counter medication recommendations (physician or pharmacist guidance)

Process

1. Build the master medication list. Create a single authoritative record of all medications:

   For each medication, record:

   • Medication name (brand name AND generic name)
   • Prescribed dosage (mg, ml, or units as prescribed)
   • Form (tablet, capsule, liquid, patch, injection, inhaler, eye drops, cream)
   • Frequency (once daily, twice daily, as needed, etc.)
   • Time of day (morning, with lunch, bedtime, specific clock times)
   • Taken with/without food (as directed)
   • Prescribing physician (name and contact)
   • Pharmacy (name, phone, prescription number)
   • Date started (when this medication was first prescribed)
   • Purpose (what condition this medication is for, as stated by the physician)
   • Refill information (refills remaining, next refill date, auto-refill status)
   • Special instructions (crush allowed, refrigerate, take with full glass of water, etc.)

   Also record:

   • Known allergies and adverse reactions (medication name, reaction type, severity)
   • Discontinued medications (name, date stopped, reason per physician)
   • Over-the-counter medications and supplements taken regularly (include vitamins, herbal supplements)

2. Create the daily medication schedule. Organize by administration time:

   Time	Medication	Dose	Instructions	Given By	Initials
   7:00 AM (with breakfast)	[Med A]	[X mg]	Take with food
   7:00 AM (with breakfast)	[Med B]	[X mg]	Swallow whole, do not crush
   12:00 PM (with lunch)	[Med C]	[X mg]	Take with full glass of water
   5:00 PM (with dinner)	[Med D]	[X mg]	Take with food
   9:00 PM (bedtime)

Output Format

## Medication Management System for [Care Recipient Name]

### Master Medication List
Last updated: [Date]
Updated by: [Name]

| # | Medication (Brand/Generic) | Dose | Form | Frequency | Time | With Food | Prescriber | Pharmacy | Rx# | Refills Left | Next Refill |
|---|---------------------------|------|------|-----------|------|-----------|------------|----------|-----|-------------|-------------|
| 1 | [Name] | [Xmg] | [Tab] | [1x/day] | [7AM] | [Yes/No] | [Dr.] | [Pharmacy] | [#] | [X] | [Date] |

### Allergies and Adverse Reactions
| Substance | Reaction | Severity | Date Identified |
|-----------|----------|----------|-----------------|
| [Name] | [Reaction] | [Mild/Moderate/Severe] | [Date] |

### Daily Administration Schedule
| Time | Medication | Dose | Instructions |
|------|-----------|------|-------------|
| [Time] | [Name] | [Dose] | [Instructions] |

### Refill Calendar
| Medication | Next Refill | Refills Remaining | Action Needed |
|-----------|-------------|-------------------|---------------|
| [Name] | [Date] | [X] | [None / Schedule appointment / Contact pharmacy] |

### Physician Visit Checklist
[Pre-visit preparation items]

### Medication Change Log
| Date | Medication | Change | By | Reason |
|------|-----------|--------|-----|--------|

Rules

1. NEVER advise on medication selection, dosing adjustments, or whether to take or stop any medication -- all medication decisions require a licensed physician or pharmacist
2. NEVER interpret side effects or drug interactions -- direct all such questions to the prescribing physician or pharmacist
3. ALWAYS include both brand name and generic name for every medication on the master list
4. ALWAYS include the prescribing physician for each medication -- when multiple specialists prescribe, this prevents confusion about who manages what
5. The master medication list must include over-the-counter medications and supplements -- physicians need the complete picture to assess interactions
6. ALWAYS include a process for communicating medication changes to all caregivers within 24 hours
7. The daily schedule must include a check-off mechanism -- memory is unreliable, especially with multiple medications
8. Include the allergies and adverse reactions section at the top of every medication document -- this information is critical in emergencies
9. Never recommend doubling a dose after a missed dose -- direct this question to the physician or pharmacy
10. ALWAYS recommend a single pharmacy when possible for interaction checking across all prescriptions

Edge Cases

• Multiple prescribers (PCP + specialists): When several physicians prescribe medications, the risk of uncoordinated prescribing increases. Designate one physician (usually the PCP) as the medication review coordinator. Before any specialist appointment, provide the complete medication list. After any change, notify the coordinating physician. Flag this in the master list by color-coding medications by prescriber.

• Cognitive impairment affecting self-administration: When the care recipient has dementia or memory issues that prevent reliable self-administration, all medications should be caregiver-administered (not self-managed). Lock medications in a secure location. Use pre-filled pill organizers prepared by one designated person. Require initials from the administering caregiver for each dose. If the care recipient resists taking medications, document refusals and report to the physician -- do not force medications.

• Frequent medication changes: When medications change often (new diagnoses, dosage adjustments, trial periods), increase the update frequency on the master list. Add a "date last verified" field and check with the pharmacy monthly to ensure their records match yours. Use the change log actively and review it at every physician visit to confirm all changes were intentional.

• Emergency situation: In an emergency, the medication list must be immediately accessible to paramedics and emergency room staff. Keep a printed copy on the refrigerator (a common location paramedics check), in the care recipient's wallet, and as a photo on the primary caregiver's phone. Include allergies at the top in large, bold text. Update the emergency copies whenever the master list changes.

• Transition between care settings (hospital to home, facility to home): Medication reconciliation is critical at every care transition. At discharge, go through the discharge medication list with the discharging nurse and compare line by line with the pre-admission medication list. Ask specifically: what was added, what was stopped, what doses changed, and why. Contact the PCP within 48 hours of discharge to verify the medication plan. Many post-hospitalization medication errors occur because discharge instructions conflict with pre-existing prescriptions.

Example

Input: "My mom takes about 8 medications prescribed by three different doctors. I keep getting confused about which ones she takes when, and I missed a refill last week. Can you help me set up a system?"

Output:

Medication Management System for Mom

Master Medication List

Last updated: [Today's date] Updated by: [User's name]

#	Medication	Dose	Form	Freq	Time	Food	Prescriber	Pharmacy	Rx#	Refills	Next Refill
1	Lisinopril (Zestril)	10mg	Tablet	1x/day	7:00 AM	No	Dr. [PCP]	[Pharmacy]	[#]	3	[Date]
2	Metformin (Glucophage)	500mg	Tablet	2x/day	7:00 AM, 5:00 PM	Yes	Dr. [PCP]	[Pharmacy]	[#]	2	[Date]
3	Amlodipine (Norvasc)	5mg	Tablet	1x/day	7:00 AM	No	Dr. [Cardio]	[Pharmacy]	[#]	5	[Date]
4	Atorvastatin (Lipitor)	20mg	Tablet	1x/day	9:00 PM	No	Dr. [Cardio]	[Pharmacy]	[#]	4	[Date]
5	Levothyroxine (Synthroid)	50mcg	Tablet	1x/day	6:30 AM	Empty stomach, 30 min before food	Dr. [Endo]	[Pharmacy]	[#]	1	[Date]
6	Omeprazole (Prilosec)	20mg	Capsule	1x/day	6:30 AM	30 min before breakfast	Dr. [PCP]	[Pharmacy]	[#]	0	OVERDUE
7	Vitamin D3	2000 IU	Tablet	1x/day	7:00 AM	Yes	Dr. [PCP]	OTC	N/A	N/A	Buy monthly
8	Aspirin (low-dose)	81mg	Tablet	1x/day	7:00 AM	Yes	Dr. [Cardio]	OTC	N/A	N/A	Buy monthly

Allergies and Adverse Reactions

Substance	Reaction	Severity	Date Identified
Penicillin	Hives, facial swelling	Severe	[Year]
Codeine	Nausea, vomiting	Moderate	[Year]

Daily Administration Schedule

6:30 AM -- Empty Stomach (30 minutes before breakfast):

Medication	Dose	Special Instructions	Given	Time	Initials
Levothyroxine (Synthroid)	50mcg	Empty stomach, full glass of water	[ ]	:	___
Omeprazole (Prilosec)	20mg	Swallow whole, do not crush	[ ]	:	___

7:00 AM -- With Breakfast:

Medication	Dose	Special Instructions	Given	Time	Initials
Lisinopril	10mg		[ ]	:	___
Metformin	500mg	Take with food to reduce stomach upset	[ ]	:	___
Amlodipine	5mg		[ ]	:	___
Vitamin D3	2000 IU		[ ]	:	___
Aspirin 81mg	81mg	Take with food	[ ]	:	___

5:00 PM -- With Dinner:

Medication	Dose	Special Instructions	Given	Time	Initials
Metformin	500mg	Take with food	[ ]	:	___

9:00 PM -- Bedtime:

Medication	Dose	Special Instructions	Given	Time	Initials
Atorvastatin	20mg		[ ]	:	___

Refill Calendar

Medication	Next Refill	Refills Left	Action
Omeprazole	OVERDUE	0	Call Dr. [PCP] for new prescription immediately
Levothyroxine	[Date]	1	Schedule Dr. [Endo] appointment before next refill
Metformin	[Date]	2	Set reminder 7 days before
Lisinopril	[Date]	3	Set reminder 7 days before
Amlodipine	[Date]	5	On track
Atorvastatin	[Date]	4	On track

Immediate Action Items

1. Today: Call Dr. [PCP] to request a new Omeprazole prescription (0 refills remaining)
2. Today: Transfer all prescriptions to one pharmacy if currently using multiple (enables interaction checking)
3. This week: Purchase a 7-day AM/PM pill organizer and fill it each Sunday evening
4. This week: Set phone reminders for refill dates (7 days before each refill due)
5. This week: Print this medication list -- place one copy on the refrigerator, one in Mom's wallet, and save one as a phone photo
6. Within 2 weeks: Schedule appointment with Dr. [Endo] before the Levothyroxine prescription expires (only 1 refill left)

Coordination Note for Three Prescribers

Mom's PCP (Dr. [PCP]) should be designated as the medication review coordinator. Before appointments with Dr. [Cardio] or Dr. [Endo], bring the complete medication list. After any specialist changes a medication, call Dr. [PCP]'s office to inform them of the change.