On September 22, older Ohioans are being offered free medicine review to help prevent falls.
Certain types of medications and drug combinations can cause dizziness, drowsiness and confusion and could contribute to a life-changing fall in older adults. To help Ohioans understand and minimize this risk, the STEADY U Ohio initiative and the Ohio Older Adult Falls Prevention Coalition have partnered with 36 local pharmacies and other community partners to provide free prescription consultations to commemorate National Falls Prevention Awareness Day on Sept. 22.
“One in three Ohioans over the age of 60 will experience a fall this year, and falls are the leading cause of emergency room visits, hospitalizations and deaths among our elders,” said Stephanie M. Loucka, director of the Ohio Department of Aging, which coordinates the STEADY U Ohio initiative and is a partner in the Older Adult Falls Prevention Coalition. “Prevention starts by understanding the risks, and we thank our pharmacy partners for having this crucial conversation with their customers to identify medicines and interactions that could be putting them at increased risk for falling.”
During the screenings, a pharmacist will review customers’ medicine usage and identify those medicines and combinations most likely to cause falls. Customers will receive a list of their potentially problem medicines to take to their health care professional to discuss risk and appropriate treatment options.
One of the 36 pharmacies participating in Ohio is the Kroger Pharmacy, located at 1500 Lexington Avenue in Mansfield. That pharmacy will provide this service between 4:00 PM and 7:00 PM on September 22.
