Re: Too Many Pills for Aging Patients

[Guest guest]

There is a big difference in the amount of medication between " keep them

alive at all costs " care and palliative care. Part of placing a LO on

palliative care is a discussion with and direction to the doctor as to what

medications are essential for comfort and what medications can be stopped.

Mom never took too many medications, but on palliative care she only took

two - Seroquel for hallucinations and anxiety and Tylenol for pain (just

plain Tylenol). One of the objects of palliative care is to reduce

medications, especially as the patient often refuses them. Mom was never

forced to take her medications, though she seldom refused - I think partly

because there were only two of them. Though she had diabetes, even insulin

was stopped, unless her BS went over 500.

Palliative care is a wonderful change that has been made in the past 20

years. Had it been around for my grandmother, she wouldn't have gone

through 5 amputations and wouldn't have been so heavily drugged as to be

" out of it " so often. For people who are concerned about the amount of

medication being administered, I strongly recommend having a discussion

with the doctor about that LO's future care and whether that patient and

family are ready for palliative care. For those that are, it is a huge

stress reliever. But only if you are ready. High levels of medication are

often the product of trying to keep a LO alive. If you aren't ready to let

them go, you may have to accept this. (But remember that, in order to

work, palliative care requires that both the patient and the family are

ready for it and able to handle the inevitable.)

Kate

> **

>

>

> Too Many Pills for Aging Patients

> April 16, 2012

>

> My 92-year-old aunt was a walking pharmacy, and a month ago it nearly

> killed her. The episode also cost the American medical system several

> hundred thousand dollars.

>

> Overmedication of the elderly is an all too common problem, a public

> health crisis that compromises the well-being of growing numbers of older

> adults. Many take fistfuls of prescription and over-the-counter medications

> on a regular basis, risking serious and sometimes fatal side effects and

> drug interactions.

>

> Read More:

> http://tinyurl.com/czsy7k4

>

>

>

--

Kate Knapp, OIT

University of Minnesota

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In kindergarten you were taught to share.

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