Medicine safety: Aged care provides sobering data about the real and current problems afflicting our aged care residents across Australia.
Medicine safety: Aged care
The report found:
- Over 95% of people living in aged care facilities have at least one problem with their medicines detected at the time of a medicines review; most have three problems
- 50% of people with dementia are taking medicines with anticholinergic properties, which can worsen confusion and other symptoms of dementia.
- One fifth of people living in aged care are on antipsychotics; more than half use the medicine for too long.
The data is clear. The current system is failing and new approaches are needed to improve medicine use in aged care.
