title: Identifying solutions to medication adherence in the visually impaired elderly.
abstract: Adults older than 65 years of age with vision impairment are more likely to have difficulty managing medications compared with people having normal vision. This patient population has difficulty reading medication information and may take the wrong medication or incorrect doses of medication, resulting in serious consequences, including overdose or inadequate treatment of health problems. Visually impaired patients report increased anxiety related to medication management and must rely on others to obtain necessary drug information. Pharmacists have a unique opportunity to pursue accurate medication adherence in this special population. This article reviews literature illustrating how severe medication mismanagement can occur in the visually impaired elderly and presents resources and solutions for pharmacists to take a larger role in adherence management in this population.
authors: Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Pharmacy, Abilene, Texas.
authors: Miranda
authors: M
authors: Smith
authors: Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Pharmacy, Abilene, Texas.
authors: Trista
authors: T
authors: Bailey
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D006801:Humans; D055118:Medication Adherence; D008508:Medication Errors / Q000517:prevention & control; D010593:Pharmaceutical Services / Q000458:organization & administration; D010595:Pharmacists / Q000458:organization & administration*; D024382:Professional Role; D019987:Persons with Visual Disabilities
keywords: AFB = American Foundation for the Blind; ASCP = American Society of Consultant Pharmacists; Aging; Elderly; Geriatric; MARS = Medication Adherence Report Scale; VI = Visual impairment; Vision; Visual impairment