The field of pharmacy practice continues to evolve, and as a geriatric pharmacist I strive to be the steward of safe and appropriate medication use, ensuring that my patients (e.g., aging adults) do not fall victim to polypharmacy, inappropriate medication use and other medication-related problems.
By Kandace L. West
It’s a Saturday morning and two third-year pharmacy students and I are sitting in Norma’s living room. Norma is an 82-year-old retired elementary school teacher, and is accompanied by her two daughters, Cindy and Patty. Like many adult children caring for their aging parents, Cindy’s concern for her mother’s health and medication use is absolutely valid; she has hired me to review her mother’s medications because of concerns following Norma’s hospitalization last year.