Speaker
Hedva Barenholtz Levy

Session Details

A Look Inside the Pillbox: Potentially Inappropriate Medications in Older Adults

Healthcare & Home Care

Date: Tuesday, August 27, 2024
Time: 12:45 pm

Session Learning Objectives:

1. Explain what the AGS Beers Criteria are and why certain medications are considered potentially inappropriate for older adults.
2. Discuss how to apply knowledge of potentially harmful or high-risk medications when working with clients and their families to improve quality of life.
3. Review consumer-focused resources to empower individuals to discuss potentially inappropriate medications with their healthcare team.

Adverse drug reactions in older individuals often can go undetected and look like “getting old,” when indeed they are because of medications. A major preventable source of adverse events is improper drug selection. This is a common issue and an opportunity for Certified Senior Advisors to be partners in the community to reduce the risk of adverse drug events. The American Geriatrics Society (AGS) Beers Criteria was updated in 2023 and is a key tool used by clinicians to identify potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) in adults age 65 and older. This session will explain the purpose of the AGS Beers Criteria; what types of medications are on this list and why; and how CSAs, clients, and family caregivers can benefit from knowing about the AGS Beers Criteria. Consumer-friendly web-based resources also will be introduced. The material presented in this session will give participants a broader appreciation of how medications can negatively impact a person’s quality of life and ability to age in place. Participants will be empowered to become advocates for their clients regarding safer medication use.