Thank you so much for the Oralflo pill swallowing cup. We love it! It’s amazing. It arrived just in time for us to include information about it in our quarterly newsletter to our >500 clients. We are so pleased to be able to share the news with our clients about this ingenious solution.” But don't rush to try out these pill-swallowing techniques, warns Ambrosi. "The study mainly found that people's perceptions of pill swallowing changed," she says. It's true; researchers only asked participants if their pills went down easier, they didn't get any images of what was happening physiologically during the swallowing tests, or measure physical differences. Familiarity with an environment contributes towards a person feeling secure and confident. However, over a period of time people often accumulate a lot of clutter that can increase risk. By simplifying and organising your belongings, the home can become a much easier place to live independently. For a start keep regularly used items close to hand and remove items that are no longer used. Keep essential things where they can be seen to act as a visual prompt – for example medication and house keys. Basic tips include: For some people, trauma, anxiety, or sensory issues make it difficult to swallow a pill. In this scenario, the emotional distress a person feels may make it hard to swallow, even if they try. There are no uniform 'answers', 'rights' or 'wrongs'. However, it may help to consider the following issues. You can use these points to shape your discussion with the providing company or at an equipment demonstration centre.

Parents and caregivers can make it easier by proactively teaching children how to swallow pills. Try: Sometimes a pill is too large for a person to swallow, or they are simply unable to swallow any pill. When this happens, ask a doctor about an alternative. Depending on the drug, a doctor may recommend: People may benefit from speaking with a therapist if anxiety or a choking phobia is making it difficult for them to swallow important medications. Physical or occupational therapy That the use of computer technologies rely on sharing and storing information. There is a need to ensure such information remains confidential, is not misused or negligently passed into the wrong hands. The technique showed 89% improvement in swallowing capsules over the traditional method of swallowing pills.Forough AS, et al. (2018). A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down? A review of strategies for making pills easier to swallow. DOI: I love your cup–we already have 3! My 7-year-old has been fighting cancer for 4 years now. I want to make a suggestion that you send samples to childrens’ hospitals–I took one to Stanford (where my daughter is treated) and they had never heard of or seen your cup!!!! I think they should have them in all the childrens’ hospitals!” Be cautious of sales people who try to persuade you to buy equipment that may not meet your needs fully or is over-priced. Buying from a company that belongs to a trade association, such as the British Healthcare Trades Association, may give you some reassurance as members have signed up to a code of practice governing standards of customer service. A pharmacist created the Pill Glide Swallowing Spray, made for both children and adults, which comes in several different flavors like strawberry or orange. Most local authorities have a community equipment service which is used by both health and social services. Equipment is generally issued based on an assessment of your need. There may also be eligibility criteria. For simple bits of equipment you may be interviewed over the telephone. For more complex equipment an assessor will need to visit your home. They may ask you to try an activity to see how and why you are finding it difficult. This will indicate to them the most appropriate equipment to meet your needs. The assessor should also be able to provide you with relevant information and advice, or direct you to suitable organisations/services in your area.

However, don't rush to try these pill-swallowing methods at home without having a thorough swallowing assessment done first. Research does not show how your perception of swallowing pills may change, nor has it established what happens to you psychologically. Other Tips That May Work Take smaller, easier pills first. Starting off with pills that are easier to swallow can help reduce anxiety associated with pill taking difficulty. Study participants had even more success with a technique for swallowing capsules called the lean-forward method:It’s common to swallow a pill with a small amount of water. If someone has difficulty doing this, it may be a good idea to increase the amount of liquid taken with the pill. The requirements and wishes of everyone involved, particularly the service user and the carer, need to be respected and every effort needs to be made to ensure all parties understand how the equipment and service will work. Particular concerns can include: Prompting devices are available that play a short pre-recorded message when they sense movement. For example, you could place one near your front door, so that when you approached the door it would automatically remind you: 'Put your safety chain on before you open your door to a caller' or 'Don't forget to take your keys when you go out'. Thus these devices can provide a useful prompt if you are experiencing difficulty with your memory. However, the maximum message length is quite short; 10-20 seconds on most models. Pill dysphagia” or trouble swallowing pills is very common. People may have difficulty swallowing pills – but little to no trouble swallowing solid foods or liquids. Below are some helpful strategies to improve your ability to swallow pills. Researched techniques that may improve your pill swallowing: Pop-bottle method for swallowing tablets: Stroke, dementia, head injury, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, and other conditions that involve the nervous system

Jagani M, et al. (2016). Can a flavored spray (Pill Glide) help children swallow their medicines? A pilot study. DOI: Researchers asked about 140 people with difficulty swallowing pills to test this method with their eyes closed, swallowing large and very large pills. The result: a 60% improvement in swallowing over the old method of just taking a sip of water from a cup and trying to swallow.Swallowing straws: These devices make it easier to swallow a pill with water or another liquid. A person simply places the pill in the straw, then drinks the liquid through it. Try taking a generous swig of water before placing the pill in your mouth. Visualize yourself successfully swallowing the pill before you try to swallow. You can also experiment with products that are specially designed to make pill-swallowing easier for your child. Around 40% of Americans report having some difficulty swallowing pills, according to a Harris Interactive study. As a result of their struggle, 14% have delayed taking their medication, 8% have skipped a dose, and 4% have stopped using their medication altogether. The fear of swallowing a pill is not entirely unfounded, but the important thing is not to overestimate it. It’s possible to choke on a pill and cause an uncomfortable sensation, but this is almost never an emergency – just an uncomfortable experience.