Printable medication list
The list every hospital, pharmacist and paramedic asks for first. Fill it once, keep it current, print a copy for the fridge and one for the wallet.
Food, fluid and weight log
Appetite does not disappear in a day. It fades over a fortnight, and the scale is the last thing to notice.
Why this log exists
Weight loss and dehydration in older people are usually found late — after a fall, an infection or a hospital admission — because nobody was writing down what was actually eaten. A fortnight of this log turns "she's not eating much" into "she finished a third of her meals for nine days and lost 2 kg", which is a conversation a GP can act on.
How to record it without it taking over the day
One row per day, filled in after supper. Rough percentages are fine: a full plate is 100%, half is 50%. Fluids in millilitres if the cup has a measure, otherwise estimate (a mug is roughly 250 ml, a glass 200 ml). Weigh once or twice a week, same scale, same time of day, same clothes — daily weights on different scales are worse than useless.
What to do with the log
Take it to the GP, the dietitian or the care team, or send the CSV. Patterns people miss: fluids dropping before appetite does, intake falling the week after a new medicine started, and weight dropping fastest in the weeks after a hospital discharge.
Questions
How do I estimate how much was eaten?
Use rough percentages: 100% for a full plate, 50% for half, 25% for a few bites. Consistency matters more than precision.
How often should weight be recorded?
Once or twice a week, on the same scale at the same time of day. Daily weights on different scales create false alarms.
What if the person coughs while eating?
Record it and tell the GP or district nurse. Coughing or choking during eating or drinking needs clinical assessment, not more logging.
Basis & sources
Primary sources only — the statute, form or paper this page is built on.
- Shimbo D, et al. Circulation. 2020;142:e42-e63 — 2 readings >=1 min apart, AM+PM, 7 days (min 3)
- Hypertension Canada 2024 Blood Pressure Log — BP log fields: target, arm, reading #1/#2, 7-day average
- California DDS MAR tip sheet — MAR header: name, DOB, allergies
- California DDS MAR tip sheet — dose, route, frequency required
- California DDS MAR tip sheet — PRN reason and result
- California DDS MAR tip sheet — refusal reason
- 42 CFR 482.43 — discharge planning CoP