Medications - Aged Care

Chapter 17: Medications

Overview:

• Medication concerns in the elderly
• Reassessing drug requirements and administration
• Reviewing patient compliance

Description:
Several studies have shown that medication‐related illness among the elderly is rising. Drugs can be a friend or an enemy and there are many age-specific factors that increase the risk of adverse reactions to medications in the elderly. In this chapter, learn how to safely use medication in aged care.

Topics:

• Introduction
• Medication problems in the elderly
• The ageing process and pharmacokinetics
• Polypharmacy
• Problems of compliance
• Side-effects
• Recommendations
• Reviewing drug requirements
• Reviewing compliance
• Reviewing non-prescription drugs and treatments
• Checking for hoarding
• Conclusion

Speaker / Author:

Geoff Sussman

Geoff Sussman is a pharmacist. He is a graduate of the Victorian College of Pharmacy, member of the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia, member of the Society of Hospital Pharmacists, and associate fellow of the Australian Institute of Pharmacy Management. He is currently a senior lecturer in the Department of Pharmacy Practice, Monash University (Victoria, Australia).

Geoff has vast experience in clinical pharmacy, clinical research, and product evaluation, and has published widely on the topic. For 15 years he was the director of Pharmacy Services at the Repatriation General Hospital (Melbourne, Australia). Geoff has lectured extensively on drugs and pharmacology for many years. He is an associate of the National Ageing Research Institute (Melbourne, Australia).

Professional Reviews:

A great resource for nurses to further understand polipharmacy and pharmakinetics associated to our elderly to be able to assist GP's in regular review of their clients daily medications and supported blood levels.

As nurses we need to review medications regularly and if conce ed have residents/ patients consult with their GPs. Some GPs just keep writing scripts for antihypertensive meds without taking the patients BP A great conce  I have found is patients think if meds that are of benefit for a friend or a relative must be helpful to themselves. Also educate patients/residents to consult with their pharmacist before taking herbal medicines, especially those that contain blood thinning agent. Education regards analgesia is another conce  as the maximum amount of the drug is never considered they need constant education regards damage to their liver. It is very wise to have a webster pack provided to some clients/residents so the scripts are held by the pharmacist and there meds are reviewed at regular intervals by there GP and with some clients The Royal District Nurses Service are required to supervise if the client lives alone- this is put into a locked container and is only accessed by RDNS

Easy to understand and presented info in readable style. All issues with medication for the elderly were adequately covered. Interesting re the aged persons ability to absorb meds and the body's response. Polypharmacy is of major conce  with most aged care facilities and nurses must do what they can to make Drs aware.Excellent work.