Are the elderly more at risk of a Texas prescription error?
A:
While anyone receiving medication is potentially at risk of a medication mistake, there are certain factors that make elderly patients more vulnerable. For instance:
Hearing/sight loss. Elderly patients are more likely to mishear instructions and misread labels due to failing faculties—and unfortunately, their bodily systems are also more likely to be affected.
Forgetfulness. Memory problems may cause geriatric patients to skip doses, take a medication more than prescribed, or lose track of which of their medications interact with one another.
Mind over matter. The older generation will often be less worried about pain, assuming that their body just “needs to get used to a medication,” and will suffer discomfort for longer periods before getting help than younger patients.
Living conditions. While your aging loved one may misread a label while living alone, he or she may be at greater risk in a nursing home. Many medication errors are a caused by a care facility’s overworked staff.
Trust. Even if elderly patients are experiencing severe side effects, they may “tough it out” because they believe their doctor and pharmacist would never make a mistake.
Many older patients are perfectly capable of handling their own medications and dosages. However, even if they stay lucid into old age, a pharmacy error can be fatal for an elderly relative.
To get help from an experienced Texas pharmacy error lawyer, order our free book, "How to Make Pharmacies Pay for your Injuries Caused by Medication Errors," or call Kennedy Hodges at 888-526-7616 for a free consultation on your case.
