Many of us can sympathise with Noeline Holt when she talks about being “foiled”.
It’s when you’re gasping for that cool canned beverage — but then the metal tag breaks off before you get the can open. Foiled.
Or cuppa tea time — and that niggly little foil cap. Just. Won’t. Tear. Off. Foiled again. You may even have to get the knife out.
Then there’s coffee sachets and bottled drinks, and perhaps the worst culprit — medication trapped in its little foil prison.
Which is what Noeline struggles with. And, of course, when it involves medication, this is important stuff.
Childproof — and adult-proof too?
The problem started when the manufacturer changed the packaging last year. And, here’s where things get tricky.
They introduced new childproof packaging — which is all very commendable.
But for anyone who lacks the dexterity, the strength, or perhaps the nails to get through the “childproof” layer — it’s a time-consuming, frustrating task.
And even when partner Roman is roped in to help, he says it still takes 10-15 minutes to get the pills out.
“We can watch a whole programme of Fair Go while we try to get the three tablets out that I need,” Noeline reckons.
Some are so tricky to get out, she’ll have shredded the childproof layer in the attempt — and that just makes the foil layer underneath even trickier.
“I don’t want it to rule my day. It’s just something I do quickly on the side and get on with life … why can’t I?”
Struggling with a simple task
It’s all been quite a blow to Noeline’s image of herself as an able-bodied person, someone who does tango, tai chi, and gardening, loves the theatre and hosting cocktail parties, and is a JP and toastmaster.
Whew. So what’s it like to struggle with what should be a simple task?
“It’s not in my make-up to let things stop me,” she says, “but this one has.”
Roman had been dispatched to the pharmacist for help but their only suggestions was that they could open each month’s worth of tablets for Noeline, for a small fee.
Noeline says her doctor has told her to stick with these tablets in this tricky packaging, but she says he struggled to open them easily himself.
Next, she called the drug company, GSK. Noeline says its response was that it was a shame, but to just keep taking the medication.
“And I said to her, ‘do you want to know my name, do you want to know my email address, do you want to know anything?’ ‘Oh no it’ll be fine thank you very much’, and I sort of had a kiss-off, I think. Is that what you call it?”
Noeline says she’s skipping a dose now and then because of the difficult packaging.
“All of them kept saying, ‘keep taking the meds’, but I can’t get them out.”
Is there a solution?
So, what chance is there that a huge pharmaceutical company will reverse the change in packaging? Well, basically, GSK told us people will get used to it.
“As patients become familiar with this packaging type over time, they can continue to access the medicine, whilst protecting children from accidental access,” GSK’s statement said.
It said there was not a specific incident or report of incidents that triggered this change, but rather a global review of safety regulations.
“GSK considers that the ‘peel-push’ solution is the best way [and] was tested by adults and children to ensure it meets international standards.”
Interesting then, that the standards exclude testers aged 70 and over. How does Noeline like that medicine?
“I guess they have to have a balancing act, but this went too far I think.”
Kylee has the answer
We’re not beat yet though. We’d asked Occupational Therapy New Zealand if they had any ideas to help Noeline.
OTNZ said you have to meet Kylee Black. And indeed, in a bedroom in Hamilton, Kylee is working on solutions, on products that make life easier.
“I actually have a disability myself and so I struggle to open a lot of products,” she says.
“One of our biggest requests is how to open pill packets.”
So she has created Kylee and Co and her business is sourcing and selling assistive technology.
“If I look at what’s in my hands and what I can do to help someone else, it takes my focus off myself, it gives me meaning and purpose, it makes a difference with something and it counts for something.”
Kylie knew of an inventor in Nelson who has a disability and also has a solution — a gadget that can open Noeline’s pills with ease.
Kylee had one left in stock, a pill popper which is winging its way to Noeline — at no charge.
Leaving her to enjoy her busy life, and some much needed serenity.