When caring for older adults, there are some special challenges. Here are a few important ones:
Too Many Medications: About 30% of older adults take five or more medications. This can lead to problems when different drugs interact with each other.
Changes in How the Body Works: As people age, their bodies process medicines differently. For example, after age 75, the kidneys may remove about 50% less waste from the body.
Other Health Problems: More than 80% of older adults have at least one long-term health issue. This makes it harder to decide how to treat them.
Skipping Medications: Many older adults struggle to stick to their medication plans. Sometimes, more than half of them don’t take their medicines as prescribed. This can happen because they may forget or find it hard to follow complicated schedules.
Side Effects from Medications: Older adults are seven times more likely to have bad reactions to medications compared to younger people. This is why it’s important to keep a close eye on how they respond to their treatments.
Understanding these challenges can help us provide better care for older adults.
When caring for older adults, there are some special challenges. Here are a few important ones:
Too Many Medications: About 30% of older adults take five or more medications. This can lead to problems when different drugs interact with each other.
Changes in How the Body Works: As people age, their bodies process medicines differently. For example, after age 75, the kidneys may remove about 50% less waste from the body.
Other Health Problems: More than 80% of older adults have at least one long-term health issue. This makes it harder to decide how to treat them.
Skipping Medications: Many older adults struggle to stick to their medication plans. Sometimes, more than half of them don’t take their medicines as prescribed. This can happen because they may forget or find it hard to follow complicated schedules.
Side Effects from Medications: Older adults are seven times more likely to have bad reactions to medications compared to younger people. This is why it’s important to keep a close eye on how they respond to their treatments.
Understanding these challenges can help us provide better care for older adults.