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Medication management
Older Australians are the largest users of medicines. While medicines may assist in the treatment and prevention of disease, increase life expectancy and improve the quality of life for their users, medicines do have potential to cause harm if used incorrectly or inappropriately.
- Older people often use several prescribed medications at the same time, due to one or more health conditions that may occur with increasing age.
- The possibility of adverse drug reactions may increase, impacting on their quality of life.
- Age-related changes in the body can also increase older people’s sensitivity to the effects of medication.
- Other issues concerning the nature and extent of medication use by older people include possible vision, hearing, memory or cognitive function deficits which may affect their ability to follow correct dosage procedures.
Safer health care and medications
Good health care is best achieved through an active and positive partnership between you and your health care professional. To get the best possible care, you should see yourself and your health care professional as a team and be involved as much as possible in every decision about your health.An Australian Council for Safety and Quality in Health Care booklet can assist you to become more active in your health care choices. It explains how and why things can go wrong, and how you can work in partnership with your health care professionals to get the best possible care. The booklet also:
- gives 10 tips for improving your health care, which include questions you might like to ask your health care professional
- outlines what you can expect from your health care professional
- lists some sources of information for finding out more about your condition and how to manage your medicines
- explains what you can do if you have concerns about your health care.
Home Medicines Review
Home Medicine Reviews (HMR) may assist people of any age to manage their medicines better while they are living at home. If you are using multiple medications, having difficulty managing your medication, or have been recently discharged from hospital or another care facility, you may benefit from a Home Medicines Review. This involves your doctor and pharmacist working together to review all the medicines you are taking, including prescription medicine, over-the-counter and complementary medicines. Your doctor will use the results of this review to develop a medication management plan for you.The review takes place in your home, at a time convenient to you. You can have a HMR once every 12 months or sooner if there has been a significant change in your condition or your medication.
For more information about the HMR service contact Medicare on 13 20 11 or ask your doctor if this service might be helpful for you.
Residential Medication Management Review
If you are a resident in an aged care home, you may be eligible to access the Residential Medications Management Review service (RMMR).A RMMR is a service for permanent residents of aged care homes. It includes collaboration between your doctor and a pharmacist to review the medication management needs for you.
RMMRs are designed to enhance the quality of medical care provided you as a resident of an aged care home – helping to minimise any possible adverse effects of some medicines.
A RMMR should form the basis for developing your medication management plan with you and if preferred your carer/family. Staff employed by aged care homes are required to ensure your medication is managed safely. Good practice medication management in aged care homes includes the development of Medications Management plans for all residents.
Useful resources to help you use medicines wisely
The Be Wise with Medicines brochure provides an overview of the different types of medicines available and how to use them wisely. It also includes information about communicating with your health care professionals, how to make your lifestyle healthier and ways to save money when purchasing prescription medicines.Other consumer information about use of medicines is available.
Read more: Care and services you can expect