Employability Skills- Work Preparedness: Self-Manage Medications
Welcome back as we discuss Employability Skills and the Local Industry standards. We will continue to look at ways you can support your individual NOW for competitive employment. We will pick back up looking at Work Preparedness.
Work Preparedness: Self-Manage Medications
It may seem odd to look at managing medication when considering employment; it seems a better fit for Independent Living. However, it falls into both categories. It falls under both categories because many individuals with disabilities have medications that require ongoing specific usage to perform at their best; therefore, managing medications is an important part of successful employment. Some workplaces have a location where acetaminophen and ibuprofen are available for employees to access independently.
Family Practice Ideas:
Include your individual when calling or entering refills, have them complete the parts they can, and assist where you must. This could mean writing and practicing a script when calling the doctor’s office. Many offices and pharmacies now allow refill requests to be completed on an app or through an automated telephone system; have your individual complete the parts they can.
Mark a digital or written calendar one week before the medication is needed to request the refill. This can be adjusted based on drugstore or mail-order needs.
Practice setting up a weekly or monthly medicine container using M&Ms with a picture guide. Here is a sample. I apologize if the pictures were better. I removed identifying information.
Practice using a safe pill cutter with M&Ms so valuable pills are not cut incorrectly when practicing.
Seek out Independent Supported Living Programs in your area and ask if your individual is eligible for an evaluation so you can see what areas need work. Using a picture medication guide mentioned above can also be helpful when participating in Independent Supported Living Programs so all caregivers see the same information.
As age allows, have your individual keep a list of their medications available to them, like on their phone. For example, on an iPhone, they can be listed in the Health App under the medical ID section.
Complete this Emergency Card and have your individual keep it on them in a wallet.
Have them wear a RoadID, the original or medical option, and purchase the annual online emergency response profile.
School Practice Ideas:
Practice filling a weekly or monthly medicine container using colored beads and the medication guide.
If your individual takes medication during the day, set up a system for them to go to the nurse on their own to take their medication. This can be completed in various ways, using a cell phone alarm or making a specific time of day for them to go, such as after lunch when walking back to class.
If your individual takes medication at school, have them be responsible for letting you know when the supply is running low. You can begin this by having the nurse tell them and have them relay the message to home, with a layer of support from the nurse that is an email home letting you know they should be telling you the medication is low.
Complete activities that identify basic over-the-counter medications and their uses. For example, a picture of someone with a headache and matching photos of acetaminophen and ibuprofen, or a picture of someone with a stomach ache and matching a photo of Pepto-Bismol. This can be differentiated by using name-brand and store-brand photos as the individual becomes more skilled.
Role-play what to do if morning medication is forgotten and it is needed to complete the day. If this happens after a busy morning, encourage the individual to solve the problem and make the parent phone call independently.
As an individual is able or allowed, keep 1 dose of medication in a discrete container in their backpack so it is available should it be needed.
How can you and your individual IEP team begin using these ideas now?
Deanna Heuring, Ed.S., has been an educational professional for 18 years, with 16 of those years dedicated to Special Education. For the past 12 years, Deanna has devoted her career to Transition Education. Under Federal Guidelines, Transition Education is the period between the ages of 16 and 21. Based on her own experience as both an educator and an advocate for families, Deanna discovered that life after formal education begins long before the age of 16. In June 2023, she established her own business, Graceful Transitions, with the specific intent of supporting families, IEP teams, and fellow educators in creating an environment that produces the best possible outcomes for individuals undergoing profound life transitions.
For more information about Deanna and her work, visit https://tinyurl.com/GracefulTransitions
Transition Education in Missouri, and most states, is considered the time period between the ages of 16-21. It refers to planning for life after graduation from K-12 education. Deanna believes families can prepare for "transition" long before age 16, which is the basis of the creation of Life Transition Services for Individuals with Disabilities.
https://sites.google.com/view/graceful-transitions-llc/home?authuser=0
