What are my medication management options in Australia?

Key points:

• Seven in 10 Australians aged 75 years or older take more than one medication as per the latest data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics
• Australians can access government-funded Home Medications Reviews to understand more about their medications and possible risk factors
• Managing your medication is essential, but keeping healthy in other ways such as participating in sports can keep you active and improve your quality of life

Seven in 10 Australians aged 75 years and over are prescribed multiple medications according to the latest data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

The risk of incorrectly taking medication increases as a person gets older and if multiple medications are prescribed, highlighting the importance of understanding your medications and how to manage them best.

Researchers found that the most common errors made by older people administering their own medications include dosing mistakes, missing a dose and taking the wrong medication.

Effects of taking the wrong medication or dose can lead to an accidental overdose, sickness or death in severe cases. 

To reduce the risk of errors when taking your medications, you may want to consider getting a Home Medicines Review. 

In these reviews, older Australians can learn more about their medications including:

• any changes required;
• the purpose of each medication;
• possible medication side effects;
• what over-the-counter medications at the same time;
• the difference between generic and branded medications; and
• learning what problems should be raised with their doctor.

Home Medicine Reviews and extra help with managing medications are recommended for Australians who take more than five medicines a day, are confused about their medications, sometimes forget to take their medications or have recently spent time in a hospital.

Three in 10 older Australians were prescribed ten or more medications for health conditions in 2022.

To get started, discuss getting a Home Medicines Review with your regular doctor. While the consultations with your doctor may cost if they don’t bulk-bill, the Home Medicines Review and the discussion with the pharmacist about their report are funded by the Australian Government.

However, if your doctor or pharmacist doesn’t recommend reducing the number of medications you take, finding the best way to manage your medications could benefit you. 

Different medication management options are available through pharmacies which can be organised by yourself or people you trust, including:

• seven-day pill organisers — these come in once-a-day or morning and evening packs and can be filled by you at home;
• seven-day disposable blister packets — these large and easy-to-open blister packs are filled and checked by pharmacists; and
• sachets — these can be separated and rolled up or torn off individually and are checked by pharmacists.

If you’re still unsure about the best option for you, don’t hesitate to get in touch with your local pharmacist or doctor for advice and further information.

If you’re more tech-savvy, you can manage your medications using the free MedicineWise app that is available on the App Store and Google Play. By using this app, you can record your medical conditions and allergies, create individual profiles and scan your medications, use the pill tracker and schedule reminders for doctor appointments. 

Some smartphones, such as iPhones, have medication reminders built into their technology. iPhone users can access the Health app on their phones to add medications they take on a regular basis. When logging this data, you can match the colour, size and shape of the tablet you’re taking as well as add reminders and different schedules.

If you are managing your medication yourself and prefer to pack your pill organisers in advance, ensure you know about your medications and appropriate storage conditions. Factors such as temperature, humidity and sunlight can impact the effectiveness of some medications. Chat with your local pharmacist about how your medications may be affected.

The Aged Care Guide can help you understand more about medication supervision, pharmaceutical deliveries and how registered nurses can help with medication management.

Getting a Home Medication Review or finding better ways to manage your medications could be beneficial, but these aren’t the only ways to reduce your risk of harm. 

Keeping yourself healthy involves more than taking medications — it might mean readjusting your lifestyle and becoming more active. 

Most Australians enjoy participating in sports and exercise but may feel they need to give it up as they get older because of their health or reduced mobility. However, it may be possible to continue participating in the sports you love simply by making some adjustments.

A modified sport is like any regular sport you have played, like basketball or football, but the rules have been adapted to accommodate the skills and abilities of older or less mobile players. Modified sports can be changed depending on the abilities of the players who want to participate.

For example, modified basketball could mean no running or jumping, lowered basketball rings and less physical contact. It would be similar to a modified netball match where players have more allocated steps and there is no running or jumping.

Learn more about modified sports to keep you active and physically healthy in the Aged Care Guide.

If you haven’t exercised for a while or have any health conditions, have a chat with your doctor before starting a sport or exercise regime.

How do you prefer to manage your medication?

Let the team at Talking Aged Care know on social media. 

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