Two in five people in rest homes take 10 or more pills a day
Researcher at UGent this week warned the public and care providers of the effect of the elderly taking so much medication
“More harm than good”
There are big differences between the rest homes: In some, every resident takes 10 or more prescriptions a day, while in others, no resident takes that many.
According to Majda Azermai of the medical faculty at the University of Ghent, who studies the use of medication among the elderly, this consumption is not without risk. “The older people get, the bigger the chance of side effects,” she explains. “Taking a large number of pills, therefore, does more harm than good.”
There are many reasons for the high use of medication. Elderly people are sometimes prescribed antidepressants because they find it hard to adjust to the rest home environment, nurses ask for medication for people perceived as “difficult”, and GPs are sometimes wary of stopping the use of medication prescribed by hospital specialists.
Photo: Ingimage
