According to Reuters Health, which reported on a study by from Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago published in “Patient Education and Counseling,” miscommunication between healthcare providers and patient concerns over drug interactions lead to many seniors having an unnecessarily complicated medication regimen. The report suggests that the…
Seniors and Medication Adherence It is no secret that prescription drug use is increasing among people of all ages. This is especially the case for those 65 and over. According to the CDC, three out of four seniors take two or more medications per day. Thirty-seven percent take five or…
Many seniors are taking multiple prescriptions and it is often hard to determine which medications were originally prescribed and which were substituted for generics. Sometimes, the generics may be confusing. A recent New York Times column noted that the practice of giving drugs two names, a brand name and a…
The pharmaceutical and drug manufacturers provide many options for treatment of healthcare conditions that in the past were fatal. While these medications have benefits they also have risks. The risks of medication are due to their chemical nature. One medication in isolation may not be problematic, but the cumulative effect…
A recent LA Times story quoted data from a study conducted by Kaiser Health News found that nearly half of patients misunderstood what it or other common label instructions meant on medicine bottles. Consequently, they are advocating that the Food and Drug Administration should aim to simplify, clarify and standardize…
The worst fear for family members is the call from the hospital notifying them that their loved one has been admitted. In many cases, seniors are re-admitted repeatedly for various conditions, creating family stress and interfering with quality of life issues. In 2008 there were 14 million hospital stays for…
A USA Today story cited a survey from a senior network that found that most baby boomers are woefully unprepared to deal with their aging parents’ health and financial problems. Findings include the fact that: 31% don’t know how many medications their parents take; 34% don’t know whether their parents…
