title: Pharmacy practice, research, education, and advocacy for older adults.
abstract: In the United States, older adults have become the fastest growing segment of the population and are expected to double in number to 70 million by 2030. As a whole, older adults have different health care needs than younger patients, and some of these needs should be met by pharmacists. Clinical pharmacy practice affecting older adults occurs in a variety of settings, including community, ambulatory care, primary care, hospital, assisted living, nursing home, home health care, hospice, and Alzheimer's disease units. Although specialty training in geriatrics or gerontology is not required for pharmacists to care for older adults, it is extremely helpful. Pharmacy education related to the care of older adults has improved slightly in the past several years but will need to increase even more to provide all pharmacists with the basic skills and knowledge to care for this unique group of patients. In addition, pharmacotherapy research targeting older adults needs to increase. Although it can be challenging, funding for this type of research is available. Patient and political advocacy is also important to support this growing population.
authors.forename: Sunny A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Linnebur
authors.forename: Mary Beth
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: O'Connell
authors.forename: Andrea M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Wessell
authors.forename: Amie D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: McCord
authors.forename: Deborah H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Kennedy
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: DeMaagd
authors.forename: Larry A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Dent
authors.forename: Michele Y
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Splinter
authors.forename: Joseph C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Biery
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Rasheen C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Jackson
authors.forename: Shannon L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sterling
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D040561:Assisted Living Facilities; D003157:Community Pharmacy Services; D003625:Data Collection; D004512:Education, Pharmacy; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006299:Health Services for the Aged; D006801:Humans; D008017:Life Expectancy; D009735:Nursing Homes; D009747:Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D010344:Patient Advocacy; D010348:Patient Care Team; D010607:Pharmacy Service, Hospital; D011788:Quality of Life; D012106:Research