Report: Medication mismanagement leading to nursing home stays

Up to half of all seniors will mismanage at least one of their medications, which can account for “about 23 percent of nursing home admissions,” according to a new analysis in the Baltimore Sun.

The over-65 population takes roughly one-third of all prescription medicines, and with so many medications being taken, it is easy for seniors to become confused and mismanage their prescriptions, the report notes.

As a result, seniors are at a significantly higher risk of hospitalization due to drug safety issues. This “noncompliance” with medication instructions can lead to an increased number of health problems, loss of independence and, in extreme cases, death.

One solution to the problem, according to experts cited in the article, is to move to electronic health records. EHRs would help doctors coordinate medications for their patients who, according to the report, could receive prescriptions from up to eight different doctors at a time.