A third of hospitalizations for older adults is because of problems with medicines
Half of all adverse drug reactions within the US occur among older adults. 28% of all hospitalizations for older adults is because of problems with medicines. Adverse drug reaction is caused by the interaction of drugs with other drugs, alcohol, or even some foods such as grapefruit, and it seems that older adults are at special risk. What is the reason for this greater vulnerability?
As we age, our metabolism changes. This can have a huge impact on the way in which our body processes drugs. A drug that you tolerated when you were younger may be much less tolerable in your middle or older years. And it’s not just about our metabolism. Many problems older adults have with drugs are related to overuse, underuse, or not following the guidelines that are related to the drug, i.e. storing the medicine out in the open when it should be kept in a cool, dry place, taking it on an empty stomach when it should be taken with food, taking it at the wrong time of day. The list goes on and on.
Underuse occurs when individuals split pills in half or in quarters, or skip doses because of the expense of the drugs. And it may not be just because of expense. I have an older sister who as a matter of course always took half of her prescribed dose of blood pressure medication. She also liked to mix up the blood pressure medicine with herbal remedies (God knows what the effect was on her body). Eventually she went off the prescription medicine in favor of her remedies. A year ago, she had a stroke and is still recovering from it.
To guard against drug related problems, it is a good idea to learn all you can about any medicine you are required to take. Talk to your doctor and your pharmacist about any medicines that have been prescribed for you. It is also a good idea to fill all of your drugs at the same pharmacy, that way if there is a conflict between medicines, your pharmacist can alert you.
Most affordable places in America in which to retire
According to Forbes magazine, the following cities are the most affordable places to live after retirement. Of course retirement is more than about affordability. It’s also about family, about having access to decent health care facilities, about being close to people you can relate to, about weather, and culture … I could go on and on, but you get the picture.
Columbus, Oh
Dallas, Tx
Minneapolis, Minn
Houston, Tx
Salt Lake City, Utah
Indianapolis, Ind
Denver, Colo
St. Louis, Mo
Atlanta, Ga
Nashville, Tenn
