The mixture of over-the-counter drugs can contribute to
problems with a prescription. And, increasingly, older people are
sharing pills, using outdated drugs or substituting medications
because prescriptions are so expensive.
"Modem medicine makes it possible for the elderly to live richer
lives than we ever imagined. But when medicines don't match what
they need, then it becomes a menace," said Betty Brill, acting
chairwoman of the Sacramento chapter of the California Medication
Education Coalition.
Brill urges all patients to ask doctors to explain potential side
effects or other warnings. Family members who notice a change in
behavior or other possible effects of medication problems should
consult a doctor.
Gardis Mundt, a member of Families of Over-medicated
Elderly which is educating people about medication uses, said her
mother was nearly fitted for a hearing aid until she discovered that
her hearing loss was only a temporary side effect of her medication.
Her mother was waiting for Mundt to pick her up for her
doctor's appointment when she read the fine print on the medication
sample bottle given to her by her doctor. The sample bottle specified
potential hearing loss as a side effect.
"She quit taking the medication and she didn't need the hearing
aid," said Mundt. She said her mother's doctor hadn't cautioned her
of the side effects.
The California Pharmacists Association is sponsoring a "brown
bag" program for member pharmacists to screen an elderly person's