October 15, 2019 —Older adults should be sure that they are not getting higher doses of prescription medications than they need. In many cases, individuals over the age of 65 are prescribed a higher dose of medication when a lower dose would work just as well. As we get older, our bodies metabolize medications differently, as the kidneys and liver process drugs less efficiently. As a result, medications tend to linger in older adults’ systems longer.
In addition, because many older adults are likely to have a higher percentage of body fat compared with muscle, the medications they take may be more highly concentrated in their bodies than they would be in younger individuals. These are factors that should be discussed with the prescribing physician, because taking higher doses than are needed subjects individuals to a higher risk of side effects. At Barclay Friends, we can provide a range of medication assistance, from reminders to total oversight, to assure that older adults maintain a consistent medication regimen.
With Faith Woodward, Director of Admissions and Marketing