Patients have to be more involved in their healthcare, or else they can anticipate uneven, less effective, and even disastrous results.

Elderly & Meds

The Beers Criteria are a list of potentially inappropriate medications for the elderly.  You can search the Internet with the term “the Beers criteria” (in quotes) to see many websites that discuss these medications.  My current favorite is at www.dcri.duke.edu/ccge/curtis/beers.html.

If you find that your elderly (65+ year-old) loved one is on one of these meds, check with the doctor to see if this medication can be changed, eliminated, or reduced. It may improve your loved one’s risk of avoiding overdosage and drug interactions, as well as his balance and coordination! But check with your doctor first.