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State Aging Director Encourages Californians To Take Elderly/Disabled
Loved Ones To The Doctor Or Schedule Appointments On September
16, 2003
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 15, 2003
CONTACT:
John Carr
(916) 323-2261
jcarr@aging.ca.gov
Sacramento
- State Aging Director
Lynda Terry today encouraged families and caregivers
of older and disabled Californians to make medical
and dental appointments for them as part of the
second annual national “Take a Loved One
to the Doctor Day” on September 16. The
program encourages individuals to schedule medical
appointments on that day, even if the appointment
will not occur for a week or two.
“Take a Loved One to the
Doctor Day” has become a key element in
the U.S. Administration on Aging’s national
Closing the Health Gap educational campaign that
is focused on making good health an important
issue among all seniors and adults with disabilities.
This year’s message will focus on proper
medication management for older adults and persons
with disabilities.
“Our goal is to improve
seniors’ knowledge about their health or
illnesses, inform them about how to take medicines
safely, and encourage seniors and disabled persons
to tell their doctors about all of the medicines
they are taking, both prescribed and over-the-counter,”
said Director Terry.
Medication management and drug
therapy are important components of health promotion
and disease prevention among older adults because
of the following:
- One in five older Americans who live independently
use prescription medicines that are potentially
inappropriate.
- Americans over the age of 65 consume one-third
of all prescriptions and purchase 40% of all
over-the-counter medications.
- More than 1.9 million medication errors occurred
among Medicare patients from 1999-2000, and
more than one-fourth of the errors were preventable,
according to an Agency for Healthcare Research
and Quality (AHRQ)-supported study.
- Many older people self-medicate, meaning
they attempt to treat their symptoms and illnesses
without consulting a doctor.
Every medicine has the potential
to cause an undesired or adverse reaction. Medication
errors can occur when a patient receives the wrong
medicine, takes an incorrect dose, takes medicine
at the wrong time or inappropriately combines
prescription, non-prescription and/or other medicines
with food or beverages.
To ensure that messages about
the safe use of prescription medicines reach at-risk
seniors, the U.S. Administration on Aging partnered
with the National Caucus and Center on Black Aged,
Inc. (NCBA), the National Council on Patient Information
and Education (NCPIE) and its member organizations
to provide an overview on medication management.
A 12-page brochure entitled “Your
Medicine: Play It Safe” aimed at informing
seniors, disabled persons and their caregivers
on how to avoid medication errors is available
online at
www.ahrq.gov/consumer/safemeds/safemeds.htm.
Printed copies can be obtained by calling 1-800-358-9295.
The brochure is available in English and Spanish
and includes a detachable, pocket-sized medicine
record form that can be personalized.
For more more information about
“Take a Loved One to the Doctor Day”
and scheduled local activities, please visit the
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Web
site at
www.healthgap.omhrc.gov, or call toll-free
1-800-444-6472.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 15, 2003
CONTACT:
John Carr
(916) 323-2261
jcarr@aging.ca.gov
Sacramento - State Aging Director Lynda Terry today encouraged families and caregivers of older and disabled Californians to make medical and dental appointments for them as part of the second annual national “Take a Loved One to the Doctor Day” on September 16. The program encourages individuals to schedule medical appointments on that day, even if the appointment will not occur for a week or two.
“Take a Loved One to the Doctor Day” has become a key element in the U.S. Administration on Aging’s national Closing the Health Gap educational campaign that is focused on making good health an important issue among all seniors and adults with disabilities. This year’s message will focus on proper medication management for older adults and persons with disabilities.
“Our goal is to improve seniors’ knowledge about their health or illnesses, inform them about how to take medicines safely, and encourage seniors and disabled persons to tell their doctors about all of the medicines they are taking, both prescribed and over-the-counter,” said Director Terry.
Medication management and drug therapy are important components of health promotion and disease prevention among older adults because of the following:
- One in five older Americans who live independently use prescription medicines that are potentially inappropriate.
- Americans over the age of 65 consume one-third of all prescriptions and purchase 40% of all over-the-counter medications.
- More than 1.9 million medication errors occurred among Medicare patients from 1999-2000, and more than one-fourth of the errors were preventable, according to an Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)-supported study.
- Many older people self-medicate, meaning they attempt to treat their symptoms and illnesses without consulting a doctor.
Every medicine has the potential to cause an undesired or adverse reaction. Medication errors can occur when a patient receives the wrong medicine, takes an incorrect dose, takes medicine at the wrong time or inappropriately combines prescription, non-prescription and/or other medicines with food or beverages.
To ensure that messages about the safe use of prescription medicines reach at-risk seniors, the U.S. Administration on Aging partnered with the National Caucus and Center on Black Aged, Inc. (NCBA), the National Council on Patient Information and Education (NCPIE) and its member organizations to provide an overview on medication management.
A 12-page brochure entitled “Your Medicine: Play It Safe” aimed at informing seniors, disabled persons and their caregivers on how to avoid medication errors is available online at www.ahrq.gov/consumer/safemeds/safemeds.htm. Printed copies can be obtained by calling 1-800-358-9295. The brochure is available in English and Spanish and includes a detachable, pocket-sized medicine record form that can be personalized.
For more more information about “Take a Loved One to the Doctor Day” and scheduled local activities, please visit the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Web site at www.healthgap.omhrc.gov, or call toll-free 1-800-444-6472.
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