Consumer Education Program for Older Adults (PHMY 553)

This program trains future and current health care professionals to give talks and presentations to older adults and caregivers in a variety of settings. Examples of topics include: You and Your Medicines: focusing on the wise use of medicines, Aging: focusing on how it affects your response to medicine as well as topics requested by seniors themselves. Sample talks are available to the participants as a reference when setting up talks.

The talks reinforce the goals of the program, which are to:

• Educate older individuals and caregivers on their disease states and therapeutic regimens
• Assure that the consumer is aware and responsive, and recognizes that the desired outcome of any health care or specific therapeutic regimen is a shared responsibility between provider(s) and consumer.
• offset some of the undesirable effects of mass media advertising regarding drugs and drug products
• recognize (and respond appropriately) to the diminished physical, psychological and economic resources of the elderly, in context with measures and/or medicinal agents recommended.
• assist caregivers, those who form the support structure for the elderly, to assertively discuss and negotiate medication issues and problems with the health care provider
• assure that individuals understand that they need to ask questions of their physicians and pharmacists and what questions need to be asked.
• present to older adults facts which support the value of preventive care.
• increase the consumer's awareness of the value of self-medication, if performed correctly.

Health care practices, such as self-medication for example, are discussed throughout each talk. Emphasis is continued throughout all discussions regarding the ACTIVE role the health care consumer must pursue and the negative aspects of the passive role of the recipient of care.

Increasing emphasis must be placed on the caregivers as current trends indicate that more and more older adults will remain in the community. Consequently, a larger responsibility for their care will fall on family, friends, neighbors, and those from community-based support structures. As an added bonus, these very caregivers are also getting older. By targeting programs to this group, the program aims to create more informed consumers as they move into their senior years.

For more information contact or visit the website:
Nicole Brandt, PharmD, CGP
Email: nbrandt@rx.umaryland.edu
Website: http://www.pharmacy.umaryland.edu/faculty/nbrandt/
Office: (410) 706-1491