Senior Care Pharmacy

Article Submitted by Allison Lowry with Med Assist Services. She may be reached at 423-622-4101.

Did you know that adverse drug reactions are among the top 5 greatest threats to the health of seniors, are responsible for 28 percent of hospitalizations among seniors, and result in 32,000 hip fractures each year due to falls caused by medication related problems? Did you know that half of all adverse drug reactions are preventable?

Seniors are at an increased risk for adverse drug reactions for multiple reasons. Physiologic changes of aging, an increased number of medications consumed, chronic illnesses, potentially inappropriate medications prescribed or taken over-the-counter, seeing multiple prescribers, and using numerous pharmacies can all contribute to the possibility of an adverse drug reaction occurring.

Frequent adverse drug reactions include falling, dizziness, and confusion. Many clinicians simply write off these dangers as a consequence of aging, or they attribute these symptoms to other diseases and prescribe more drugs. Not every clinician focuses on the special needs of seniors.

You can take a part in minimizing your risk of adverse drug reactions. First, have a 'champion' prescriber who oversees all medications prescribed for you and knows of all your medical care. This prescriber will more than likely be your Primary Care Physician or PCP. Second, use only one pharmacy to fill your medications. By doing this, you can be assured that all of your prescription medications are being screened properly for drug interactions. Third, hire a Senior Care Pharmacist. Beyond prescriptions, supplements, herbs, and over-the-counter drugs all affect your health. When all of these therapies are mixed, therapies get complicated. Who is reviewing these combinations for duplications, interactions, costs, and side effects? It often does not occur at your regular doctor appointments due to time constraints. Senior care pharmacists have specialized knowledge in geriatric medicine and the unique medication-related needs of the senior population. We offer professional, non-hurried visits and provide understandable patient and caregiver information, We can also serve as a resource for other community outreach programs.

Med Assist Services is dedicated to your drug therapy management. It is our goal to ensure seniors understand their medications, increase medication adherence, provide assistance, and decrease the opportunity for adverse drug reactions. Please contact us for more information.