Table 4 Tools and resources to support adherence

Strategies

Logs of medications

I started a little diary program and documented when I took what. Now, I pretty much have it down to a science. 60F

I couldn't remember everything. So my boss, my wife told me to make a list, check it twice, that kind of thing. 69M

Consistent location for medications to be kept

Keeping them in groups, definitely it does [help]. If you have one medication in one place and one medication in another room, that wouldn't work for me. 70F

I have everything in my one nightstand, the bottom drawer. All my medications. 56F

Consistent routine

I have an alarm set on my phone for 8:30 every morning. When I turn that off, I get up and I go to the meds immediately. It takes minute and a half, two minutes, and it's over for the day. 72F

My Spiriva sits right near my coffeemaker, okay? So as I'm making the coffee, I'll take two hits off of Spiriva. Then I get my coffee. 62M

Family and support network

I am not allowed to go alone. My wife will not let me go to a doctor's visit by myself. It's helpful from the standpoint that if I miss something—and as the older I get, I usually do—or I don't understand something, or I forget to ask a question, my wife does it for me. 69M

I have four children that are very good to me and if I run short, if I said, "Listen, I can't afford my meds," they'd give me a check for 50 bucks right away, and, "Go get it, Mom." 80F

Community resources

I started going to a support group. And then I started pushing for one in Frederick, and then they started one that's at Frederick hospital, a Better Breathers Club. 70M

I did go to a LUNG FORCE expo or something. American Lung Association did a seminar in Baltimore last year, I went to that, which was somewhat helpful. 60F

The insurance company, they are really totally professional… And they're very polite, very professional, very helpful. 58F

Physician Office resources

I asked for a copy of everything that he did that day because I'm 60 and I don't remember medical terms. 59F

All the medicines I get from the VA come with a very comprehensive fact sheet on them…Tells you how to take them, what they do, what the side effects are. 66M

Computerized resources

MyChart's good for [follow-up]. I followed up with my doctors with a couple things on MyChart. It might take a day or two to get back, but they usually do. 65M

I can go onto MyChart and change and add prescriptions that I'm taking. And when he prescribes something, it goes in there. 56F

I get all the details, I go onto the Internet and try to pull up the information as well. 55M

Pharmacy resources

If I really, really wanted the answers, which I—that's how I found out I was using the inhaler too much was I disregarded their [doctors'] sheets and went to these sheets from [Pharmacy]… It's kind of like [Pharmacy] would give you a book, and the doctor would give you a short story. 55M

I've learned more when I went down to the pharmacy and got it. They give you that little paper along with it, and I sat there and read everything about it. 61M