DoseBeacon · pill reminderWhat is DoseBeacon?
DoseBeacon is a pill reminder and family medication tracker for iPhone, built for aging parents and the adult children, spouses or caregivers who help them. The person taking the medicine gets one large card at a time. Approved family members see a shared record of reported doses, with who reported each one and when.
Two people, one record: the parent taps, the family sees it.
A day with DoseBeacon, from both sides
- Mom's phone The reminder fires, even with no internet. Senior Mode can read the card aloud.
- Mom taps Log as taken. When her phone is online, the report reaches the approved Care Circle.
- Your phone, at work Vitamin D shows "Not confirmed yet". You tap I'm handling this so your brother knows you're calling her. A claim is never shown as a dose given. (This Dose Handshake is part of DoseBeacon Family.)
- Two people report the same dose. It's flagged Needs review instead of one report overwriting the other.
- Refill check. The Refill Center shows medication on hand with clearly labelled estimates. Mark a pickup and the count updates.
What it looks like on the phone
Screens show fictional sample people and medicines.
Why keep one medication list for a parent?
The NIH's National Institute on Aging (2022) advises writing down every medicine, including over-the-counter drugs, vitamins and supplements, and showing that list to all health care providers and the pharmacist. It also mentions timers, reminders and medication reminder apps as ways to stay on track, and suggests asking loved ones for help.
DoseBeacon holds that list in one place: prescriptions, OTC medicines, vitamins and supplements. Scan a pharmacy label to start a draft, check every field, and archive a medicine without losing its history. A printable emergency card keeps allergies, conditions and contacts ready.
This is general information, not medical advice. Talk to your clinician. If you're unsure about a dose, ask a pharmacist or prescriber.
Our choices, our limits, and who it's not for
A choice we made. DoseBeacon never says "missed". An unreported dose is "Not confirmed yet", and corrections add to the history instead of erasing it. Families argue less when the record only says what someone actually reported.
A limit. A logged dose is a report, not proof a medicine was taken. Notifications and sharing depend on device settings and connectivity. It's an app, not a pill dispenser or a medical device.
Not for you if your parent doesn't use a smartphone at all, or you need a locked automatic dispenser or professional monitoring. A pharmacy blister pack or a home care service may suit you better.
Beacon Quests light up a lighthouse as you get organized: add medications, choose a helper, review the emergency card. Quests reward honest records, including "Not sure" and asking for help. No streaks, and never a nudge to take more medication.
Pill reminder questions families ask
Is DoseBeacon free?
Yes. Reminders, 1 patient, 2 active medications, 1 helper, full history, reports and the emergency card are free. DoseBeacon Family adds unlimited active medications, more caregivers and the Dose Handshake for $8.99 a month or $59.99 a year, with a 7-day free trial for eligible new subscribers.
Can several family members share one schedule?
Yes, with a Care Circle. Each helper needs DoseBeacon on an iPhone or iPad. You approve every join request, choose a role and can revoke any device.
Does it work without internet?
Reminders are scheduled on the device, so they work offline. Sharing with the Care Circle needs a connection, and every screen shows when it last updated.
Is it easy for an older parent to use?
Senior Mode shows one large, high-contrast card at a time with four choices: Log as taken, Later, Not sure and I need help. Read-aloud, Dynamic Type and VoiceOver are supported, and Senior Mode never shows ads or purchase screens.
Does a logged dose prove the medicine was taken?
No. A logged dose is a report, not proof. DoseBeacon records who reported it, on which device and when, and shows unreported doses as Not confirmed yet.
Can it scan a pharmacy label?
Yes. On-device text recognition creates a draft from the label, and you check every field before any reminder turns on.
Can I delete our data?
Yes, anytime from Settings.
Set up Mom's first reminder
Add one medicine, invite one helper, and light the beacon.
Updated November 2026
More from DoseBeacon
- Can't remember if you took your medication? What to do nowNot sure you took your pill? Why doubling up is the risky move, what NHS pharmacy guidance says, and how to stop the doubt tomorrow.
- Long-distance caregiver medication management: the 5-minute weekly callManaging a parent's medications from another city: sort which jobs you can do from afar, then run a 5-minute weekly call. A worked example.
- Medication checklist after hospital discharge, with a list-compare toolWhat to do with a parent's pills in the first 48 hours home: a 9-step checklist and a tool that compares the old list with the discharge list.
- Automatic pill dispenser vs reminder app: a 6-question fit checkAutomatic pill dispenser, reminder app or plain pill box? Answer six questions about your parent and see which method fits, with real costs and limits.
- How to prevent double dosing at home: six mistakes and fixesSix everyday mistakes that lead to a double dose at home, and the fix for each. Pick your household setup and see the one check that matters most.
- How to stop forgetting to take pills: a 10-point checklistA tick-as-you-go checklist for people managing their own medicines, built from National Institute on Aging advice. Free, no sign-up.
Related
- Medication checklist after hospital discharge, with a list-compare toolWhat to do with a parent's pills in the first 48 hours home: a 9-step checklist and a tool that compares the old list with the discharge list.
- Can't remember if you took your medication? What to do nowNot sure you took your pill? Why doubling up is the risky move, what NHS pharmacy guidance says, and how to stop the doubt tomorrow.
- Long-distance caregiver medication management: the 5-minute weekly callManaging a parent's medications from another city: sort which jobs you can do from afar, then run a 5-minute weekly call. A worked example.
- Automatic pill dispenser vs reminder app: a 6-question fit checkAutomatic pill dispenser, reminder app or plain pill box? Answer six questions about your parent and see which method fits, with real costs and limits.