The majority of older adults would prefer to age in place. But due to physical or cognitive impairments, aging in place may not be a safe option for some people. That said, pharmacists can play a key role in facilitating aging in place.
How’s that? Noted in pharmacytimes.com, poor medical adherence is often a safety issue when it comes to people aging in place, and it’s been attributed to a number of factors: forgetting to take one’s medication, not having the financial resources for medication, lack of motivation, a complicated regimen for ones medications are a few reasons. Keep in mind that poor medical adherence can lead to worsening health status and even serious complications including poor quality of life and decreased functional abilities.
This is when pharmacists can play a key role in medical adherence, and thus aging in place. To help ensure compliance, pharmacists can make use of technology that helps track when patients are low on medication and need a refill and then also communicating this to the patients and their doctors. This would help ensure that a patient never runs out of their medication given they will always have their refills so that they never miss a dose.
In addition, using compliance packaging to help patients keep their medication regimen organized can be a huge help; using blister packs or pouches and organizing the medications by day and time makes it simple for patients to take their meds as prescribed.
For more ways pharmacists can help facilitate aging in place, from advocating with insurance companies to developing ongoing communication with patients and their caregivers, read the full pharmacytimes.com article here.
Read more:
How Getting to Know Your Pharmacist Can Help You Age More Healthily
Caregivers And Canada’s Pharmacists Benefit From A Strong, Supportive Relationship
