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HEALTH AGED CARE 70
RET AIL PHARMA C Y • MA Y 2020
aren’t going to respond well to the
‘Oh well, that’s just the way it is, you
have to suck it up’ type of attitude.
“Showing empathy and stepping into
someone else’s shoes to recognise how
difficult this situation is for them is helpful.
It’s probably the only time this person has
left the house in a week, and to find the
product they want is being rationed can
be a significant blow to them.
“While it’s absolutely right to be
enforcing the rules, I think we need to
do so with empathy as opposed to a
hard-nosed refusal.”
Having built some rapport, there are a
number of worthwhile questions to ask,
all centred around ensuring the older
patient is not exposed to increased risk
of physical or mental issues at this time.
Please note, the questions below are
all open questions: they can’t simply be
answered with a ‘yes’ or ‘no’. The idea
is to gain information. Older people can
be quick to simply respond with ‘Oh yes,
I’m perfectly OK, thank you’ when in
reality they need help.
Questions to ask include:
• How many people live at home
with you?
If the answer is ‘none’ or ‘another ◦
older person’, the following
questions become very important.
• How much food do you have?
• Who does your shopping for you?
Do you know there’s a dedicated ◦
time for older people to shop for
groceries and other essentials?
• Who are you able to talk to during
the day?
• Do you have any mobility issues
at home?
Recommend suitable aids such ◦
as walking sticks, helping-hand
extensions, or raised toilet seats
when appropriate.
• How are you managing your
medication requirements?
Depending on their answer, talk ◦
about the benefits of Webster-paks
or other dose administration aids
during this time.
It’s important to make older people
aware of the support services available
to them during this pandemic, potentially
having a printed list of such services for
them to take away. These may include
an increasing range of telehealth
services covering physical and mental
wellbeing, Beyond Blue hotlines for
general advice and support for all ages
and specific fact sheets from Dementia
Australia. These are all listed in the
resource document
.
Keeping your team intact
In addition to heightened consideration
of the needs of older people, this is
also a time to be keeping an eye out for
unusual injuries or signs of overall lack
of wellbeing among all patients. With
the increased risk of domestic violence
and alcohol, substance and child abuse,
there will sadly be instances of people
being harmed. Any signs of bruising
or other traumatic injuries that raise
concerns should be dealt with according
to normal process.
Mr Estherby, of Chaplaincy Australia,
also touched on the importance
of pharmacy staff maintaining an
awareness of their own mental health
and emotions during this difficult time.
“When patients get angry or frustrated in
your pharmacy, remember it’s not that the
people are angry with you – rather, they’re
angry with the circumstance,” he advised.
We recommend all pharmacy staff make
time to share their thoughts and discuss
their experiences with colleagues after
each shift, to maintain their own mental
wellbeing. In addition, pharmacy owners
and managers can make sure their teams
are aware of the government’s provision
of a dedicated mental health and
wellbeing program for frontline health
workers as and when they need it.
Details of all the resources mentioned
in this article are available in the
downloadable
resource sheet
.
References
1. American Journal of Public Health https://doi.
org/10.2105/AJPH.2014.302427
2. thelancet.com/journals/lanpub/article/PIIS2468-
2667(19)30230-0/fulltext
3. jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/
fullarticle/2764404
4. gen-agedcaredata.gov.au
Government changes to Home
Medicine Review (HMRs) and
Residential Medication Management
Review (RMMR) now allow pharmacists
two additional follow-ups with patients
within nine months of the initial review.
In a move that has been welcomed by
the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia
(PSA), accredited pharmacists are now
allowed two additional HMR and RMMR
follow-ups with patients within nine
months of the initial review.
Previously allowed just one review
per patient every 24 months, the PSA
welcomed the changes by calling the
move a necessary step to ensure elderly
patients were properly cared for when it
comes to the medicines they are taking.
“As medicines experts it is essential
that pharmacists are able to properly
review patient’s medications as
well as provide advice to other
members of the healthcare team
to ensure the safe and quality use
of medicines for the elderly,” PSA
National President Associate Professor
Chris Freeman said.
The programs will also now be
able to be referred by other medical
practitioners, not just GPs, which will
allow for specialists in aged or chronic
care to refer where a GP may not
be available.
Associate Professor Freeman said
this measure on the back of the
government’s recent announcement
to allow medicine reviews via
telehealth will help deliver on
the recommendations contained
in the interim report of the Royal
Commission into Safety and Quality
in Aged Care.
“These services are very important
for patients at risk of medicine related
harm and important for the pharmacists
and pharmacies whose livelihoods are
supported by providing these essential
medicine review services,” he said.
Medicine-related problems lead to
250,000 hospital admissions each
year costing $1.4 billion annually.
Patients who take more than one
medicine are at risk of problems
associated with their medicines
and HMRs are vitally important in
identifying these issues, Associate
Professor Freeman said.
FROM PAGE 69
MEDS REVIEWS: PHARMACISTS’ ADDED INPUT
BOOSTS CARE FOR ELDERLY