Care of older people
Old age brings with it an increased likelihood of long-term conditions, as well as the prospect of taking multiple medicines. Frailty, dementia and mobility problems all contribute to the challenges faced by healthcare services when caring for ageing populations. Much can be done to improve the lives of older people – through innovative care pathways, evidence-based medicine and research into ageing and the delivery of care. Here, you can find news stories and articles on topics ranging ...
Heart failure, older people and frailtySubscription
Diagnosis of heart failure and frailty can often be masked by other long-term conditions, making the delivery of treatment goals complicated.
Managing osteoporosis in older peopleSubscription
How to understand bone health in the context of the older person, including risk assessment, prevention and the management of osteoporosis in patients likely to have multiple comorbidities.
Putting insomnia to bedSubscription
An estimated 30–50% of the population will experience insomnia symptoms at some point in their lives and, in the UK, insomnia rates steadily rise with age. With a 2% increase in sales of over-the-counter sleep aids during 2017, pharmacists are seeing more patients with insomnia symptoms. Here we discuss the health implications of not getting enough sleep and what can be done to help people drift off.
How Kayt Blythin established a pharmacist-led medicines optimisation service in East Sussex care homes Subscription
Kayt Blythin is a principal clinical pharmacist for medicines optimisation for care homes at Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust.
Diagnosis and management of hospital-acquired pneumonia in older adults Subscription
Hospital‑acquired pneumonia increases the length of in-patient hospital stay and is associated with high mortality rates, particularly in older people. Pharmacists and healthcare professionals need to know how to diagnose and manage the condition, and be cognisant of the gaps in the evidence base.
How to support patients with sight loss in pharmacy
More than two million people are affected by sight loss across the UK, which may impact on their ability to use and take their medicines correctly and safely. Here, the Royal National Institute of Blind People, Medicines Use and Safety team and Moorfields Eye Hospital provide advice and recommendations for pharmacy to provide appropriate support for people with sight loss.
Deprescribing drugs for care home residents could improve quality of lifeSubscription
The use of multiple medicines is still a major problem in British care homes, from the impact on residents to the strain on NHS resources, but ‘deprescribing’ can mitigate these risks.
Devising ways to improve medicines adherenceSubscription
There are many reasons why patients do not take their medicines as prescribed. Discovering the specific cause of non-adherence is the best way to improve it.
Stopping statins in older patients increases risk of cardiovascular-related hospital admission
Statin discontinuation in patients aged 75 years and over is associated with a 33% increased risk of hospital admission for a cardiovascular event, a study published in European Heart Journal has found.
Less than 10% of eligible adults had NHS health check last year
Fewer than one in ten eligible adults had a NHS Health Check over the past year, figures published by the NHS have revealed.
Long-term diuretic use may reduce fracture risk in people with Alzheimer’s diseaseSubscription
Use of thiazide diuretics for three years or more may reduce the risk of low-energy fracture in people with Alzheimer’s disease, study results have suggested.
NHS England fails to fill 240 pharmacy posts in care homes by March 2019 deadline
NHS England has recruited just over 200 pharmacists and pharmacy technicians to work in care homes, despite suggesting that 240 roles would be filled by March 2019.
‘One-size-fits-all’ treatment targets harm frail older patients with diabetesSubscription
HbA1c targets that ignore differences in the physiology of older patients put them at risk of severe hypoglycaemia, harm and death.
Recognise care home pharmacy as a specialism, says RPS Scotland
Pharmaceutical care in care homes should be recognised as a specialist area and resourced accordingly, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s director for Scotland, Alex MacKinnon has said.
At least one resident per care home on antibiotics, finds Boots UK study
A month-long survey looking at the antibiotic use of nearly 18,000 patients has revealed that at least one resident in each of 644 long-term care facilities in the UK was taking an antibiotic.
Depression under-recognised in older adults during acute hospital staysSubscription
Diagnosis of depression is infrequently recorded on older adults’ patient notes, a survey of 27 acute hospitals across England has shown.
