Glenn: Family, friends, colleagues and acquaintances – Challenges of explaining medicines to people
Listen to patients and health professionals speak about their experience with taking multiple medicines.
Glenn
Male
Age at interview: 50
Number of medicines: 6
Cultural background: Anglo-Australian
Glenn says there is a downside to having people around him aware of his condition.
Glenn:
The downside, I think, is when somebody throws it at you. Everyone has bad days and I have had that thrown back at me. You mustn't have taken your medication today. Or, go and take your medication. It's said in a manner that's not right. It's not a caring … it's sort of an accusation. That's sometimes a downside. But if you pick the people correctly and give them permission to ask you ... and that's what I did. I gave two people permission to ask me if they thought that I was not having a good day, or if they thought that I may not have taken my medication. I gave them permission to ask me if I have and I never had any problems. Occasionally it's a misinterpretation, but that's okay. That's still asking. That's better than no one asking.
Jacqueline:
How do you go about picking the right person?
Glenn:
Very difficult. I have picked the wrong person and that's how I know that they throw it back at you, if something is not going right their way. But picking the right person, someone that cares about you and that you know cares ... you care about them and they care about you, enough to ask that question.
The Living with multiple medicines project was developed in collaboration with Healthtalk Australia.