My mother takes 10 tablets a day and lives alone: how can I help?

A practical plan for sons and daughters worried about a mother who lives alone and takes many medicines.

If your mother takes 10 tablets a day and lives alone, you can help her in four steps: ask for a review of her medication, organise doses by day and time, agree with her on a simple way of checking that she takes them and look for support such as telecare. All while respecting her independence.

This is a very common situation. With age, long term conditions build up, each with its own treatment, and different doctors often prescribe separately. We explain why it is worth acting and how to do it without overwhelming her.

Is it dangerous to take so many medicines?

Not necessarily, but it needs more oversight. An article published in the Spanish National Health System's therapeutic information bulletin notes that the most widely used threshold for polypharmacy is 5 medicines taken long term, the point from which inappropriate use of medicines increases.

The same article describes three situations:

It also notes that being seen by several doctors is linked to more polypharmacy. That is why a joint review is so useful.

What is the first step to help her?

Ask her GP or pharmacist for a review of all her medication. The aim is to check that each medicine is still needed, that there are no duplicates or interactions and, where appropriate, to consider deprescribing, that is, carefully stopping those that no longer bring any benefit.

1. Gather all the boxes in the house, including vitamins, supplements and anything she buys without a prescription.
2. Make a list with the name, strength, timing and who prescribed each one.
3. Book an appointment with her GP and go with her if she would like you to.
4. Ask whether the regimen can be simplified, for example by reducing the number of doses a day.
5. Remove medicines she no longer takes from the house.

How can her doses be organised if she lives alone?

The most effective approach is for each dose to be prepared and separated by day and time, so she only has to open the right pocket. That also makes it easy to check whether she has missed one.

• Weekly pill organiser: useful if someone she trusts fills it every week without mistakes.
• Personalised dosage system (SPD): the pharmacy prepares it in sealed blister packs by day and time; you can read what an SPD is.
• A visible list in the kitchen with times and what each medicine is for.
• Reminders: phone alarms or linking doses to routines such as breakfast.

Agree too on how you will check without her feeling watched, for example with a phone call or a photo of the pill organiser. You will find more ideas in 5 ways to know whether your parents are taking their medication.

What public support is available if she lives alone?

Telecare is one of the services under Spain's Dependency Act and lets a person call for help in an emergency by pressing a button. Following the reform of Law 39/2006 by Law 4/2026, in force since 23 October 2026, people with a recognised dependency status are entitled to telecare as a complementary service, at any level.

• Ask her local council's social services about telecare and home help.
• If you think she may need more support, consider applying for recognition of her dependency status.
• Talk to trusted neighbours or friends so they have your phone number.

If your mother finds it hard to accept any kind of help, read how to talk to your older parents so they accept help.

A practical example: Carmen and her ten tablets

Take the case of Carmen, 82, who lives alone in Zaragoza and takes 10 medicines prescribed by her GP, her cardiologist and her rheumatologist. Her daughter lives in Barcelona and, on a visit, finds two boxes of the same active ingredient under different names.

• Her daughter gathers all the boxes and prepares a list with strengths and times.
• Carmen books an appointment with her GP, who reviews the list, spots the duplicate and stops a medicine she no longer needs.
• They switch to having her medication prepared by day and time, and her daughter rings her every evening to ask how her day went.
• They ask the local social services for information about telecare.

How can IMA Health help?

IMA Health is designed for families in this situation: we coordinate with a specialised pharmacy that prepares the medication by the day and time of each dose, deliver it to your mother's home and provide personalised follow-up, so you have more peace of mind even if you live far away.

Sources

• Spanish NHS therapeutic bulletin: Frail people with polypharmacy, a challenge for the health system (2011, Spanish)
• BOE: Law 39/2006 on personal autonomy and care for dependent people (consolidated text, Spanish)
• WHO: Medication safety in polypharmacy

This article is for information only and does not replace advice from your doctor or pharmacist.