Elderly Patients and Prescription Medications

Posted by admin on December 30th, 2008 filed in Health

A German medical study found that elderly people have problems taking their prescription medications while they are in hospital and also after they return home. These problems related to opening and retrieving their medications from containers as well as how their medications were taken.

It was found that ten percent of elderly patients were unable to actually open medication containers. It was thought that this was related to poor eyesight and reduced dexterity. The study recommended that the proper use of medications should be tested during the patients stay in hospital and that follow up skills should be taught after release to prevent ongoing problems.

This can be a major issue for healthcare workers, as older patients account for twenty five percent of all prescription medications. To overcome these problems it is suggested that elderly patients should receive both verbal and written instruction, easier drug regimes, pill bottle magnifiers, clear labels as well as non-childproof containers.

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