Erik, 26, got a medication robot - the whole family benefitted

When Erik, 26, received a medication robot, it completely transformed his and his parents’ lives. The worry over his medication disappeared, his epileptic seizures stopped, and Erik gained a more independent life.

"This is such a relief, absolutely incredible, says his father, Jonny.

Erik was born with Tuberous Sclerosis, which has resulted in a mild intellectual disability. He also has diagnoses of epilepsy, kidney cysts, anxiety, and OCD. Today, Erik is 26 years old and manages much on his own. He has been living in his own flat for some time now and works full-time at Samhall.

“Moving out of the family home was a major adjustment for Erik and also for us as his parents. There were so many questions about how he would handle everything that comes with such a big change,” says his mother, Charlotte.

Erik receives support from assisted living staff to help with shopping and cooking, but he manages cleaning and laundry on his own. However, the greatest concern was his medication. He takes his medication twice a day, and it’s crucial that it happens at the same time each day to prevent, above all, epileptic seizures.

“When Erik lived at home, we ensured his medication was taken, with constant reminders, but sometimes Erik was unsure whether he had taken it or not, even after we had reminded him. After he moved out, we continued the same routine. It led to many phone calls and uncertainty about whether the medication had been taken correctly or not. I cycled to his flat almost every morning and evening to make sure he had taken his medication from the pill organiser,” says Charlotte.

“Yes, and he naturally got irritated with our ‘nagging’ and felt we didn’t trust him to manage his medication,” adds Jonny.

Charlotte and Jonny tried to get help from assisted living staff to remind Erik about his medication and ensure it was taken, but since they don’t work around the clock, it wasn’t possible.

“It was really challenging, to be honest. If you haven’t experienced it, it’s hard to understand the worry involved. Erik would sometimes call me from work, unsure if he had taken his morning medication. That meant I’d have to get on my bike, go to his flat to check the pill organiser, and if he hadn’t taken it, deliver it to him at work before cycling back to my own job. Wherever we were—visiting friends, at the cinema, or dining out—we always had to be prepared to drop everything and sort it out. Travelling anywhere was almost impossible,” says Jonny.

Jonny works at the Assistive Technology Centre in Jönköping, and one day he heard about a new product—a medication robot.

“I was having lunch with a colleague when he mentioned the robot. I started thinking about it and said, ‘That sounds like something my son could use,’” says Jonny.

And so they did. Two weeks later, the medication robot was set up in Erik’s new home, and since then, he hasn’t missed a single dose or had a single epileptic seizure.

“He feels calm and secure knowing he has taken his medication. He feels independent and grown-up, no longer needing us to hover over him constantly. It’s indescribable. And for us, who share the responsibility alongside Erik, it’s a huge relief. We can let go of the worry and constant reminders from his childhood, which is a big relief for us all,” says Charlotte.

The medication robot provides Erik with clear reminders of when it’s time to take his medication, ensuring it’s taken at the correct time and not forgotten. If, for any reason, he doesn’t take it, a message is sent to Charlotte and Jonny so they can follow up, though that hasn’t happened yet.

Charlotte and Jonny are also responsible for refilling the robot. Every fortnight, they collect new pre-packaged medications from the pharmacy and refill the robot.

“We were trained in how to do it, but it’s very simple if you follow the instructions,” says Jonny.

Both believe there are many others who would benefit from a medication robot to simplify their lives but may not know such a solution exists.

“I believe that if someone receives their medication in the right dose at the right time, it not only benefits them but also society at large by reducing costs. The research is there, the medicine has been developed, but what good is that if the patient doesn’t take it? I’m convinced that medication robots relieve the burden on healthcare enormously,” says Jonny.

Erik is very proud of his medication robot and keeps it openly in his bathroom.

“Sometimes, if he has staff over, they wonder who’s talking in the bathroom,” says Charlotte, laughing.

“Yes, and he answers, ‘That’s my partner Lena,’” says Jonny.

They are incredibly grateful for the medication robot from Evondos.

“Finally finding a solution that relieves both us and Erik was more than we could have hoped for,” says Charlotte.

*Evondos recommends that the medication robot be placed so that it cannot come into contact with water and is not placed in direct sunlight.