If you care for an elder loved one, you might have noticed they are taking lots of medications. Are they all necessary? Only their doctor can say for sure, but a recent study by the University of Sydney concluded that dementia patients are 17 per cent more likely to be given unnecessary medications. Another finding was that dementia patients are frequently given drugs to treat other ailments (such as acid reflux) even when these drugs are not a requirement.
The lead author of the research, Dr. Danijela Gnjidic, said: “Our study found that following a diagnosis of dementia in older people, the use of potentially inappropriate medications increased by 17 per cent. A number of reasons may account for this, including difficulties with comprehension and communication.”
Increased drowsiness and sedation are among the problems with taking unnecessary medication. These unwanted side effects can result in falls, fractures and then hospitalizations. Such unfortunate events have further complications and impact the ability of the patient to maintain what level of independence they have.
The researchers observed that medications that are initially recommended for the short term are often administered on an ongoing basis. Inadequate guidelines, diminished capacity in decision-making in dementia patients, limited time during patient consultations, problems with communication and barriers to setting care goals are some of the reasons Dr. Gnjidic gave for why unnecessary and excessive medication prescription may have become typical.
To help make more informed decisions on medication, better communication between doctors and patients is clearly needed. De-prescribing unnecessary medications may improve an individual’s quality of life and can reduce unnecessary healthcare costs.”
If you believe your loved one may be taking too many medications, a good place to start is with their primary physician. Put all the medicine vials in a basket and take them with you to the next doctor’s appointment. Have the doctor review each one and advise if they continue to be necessary. Also ask if there may be unnecessary side effects resulting from the combination of different meds. There are many online resources that provide basic guidelines to help you understand the reasons why a med may be prescribed, what it does, and its possible risks.
About the Author:
Lorenzo Mejia and his wife, Mary Lynn Ryerson, are the owners of Acorn, a caregiver registry located in Chapel Hill.
They founded Acorn based on their experiences caring for his mom, who suffered with Alzheimer’s Disease. In 2013, he became a Qualified Dementia Care Specialist. In 2014, the Alzheimer’s Foundation named him the Dementia Care Professional of the Year in the United States.
Lorenzo is the founder of Dementia Friendly Orange County an effort to make local businesses more accommodating to people with dementia.
Lorenzo speaks often on dementia and the challenges associated with caring for loved ones. He has been interviewed by ABC News and National Public Radio. He is an advisor to Orange County’s OC-CARES Dementia Capable Community Project.
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