Guides for families

Plain, practical help for looking after each other's health, especially parents, and especially from far away. Family guides, not medical advice.

• What does 1-0-1 mean on a prescription?One in the morning, none in the afternoon, one at night. The numbers and short forms on Indian prescriptions (OD, BD, TDS, SOS), explained plainly.
• How to check a hospital bill before you payThe itemised bill, room days, medicines, tests, packages, deposits and insurance, step by step.
• How to keep track of your parents' medicines from another cityOne list, reminders that reach you when a dose is missed, and refills before they run out.