Caring for the Elderly

Exploring elder care from societal attitudes to medication management

Medical Management


According to the Canadian Patient Safety Institute (2018), medication management is described as focusing on the needs of the client, ensuring that drug therapy is safe, effective, and suitable through collaboration with clients and their healthcare teams.
Medication management involves more than just carrying out the technical duty of giving medication. It is a repetitive process that involves using nursing knowledge, skill, and judgment to guarantee safe medication use

Collaboration between nurses and pharmacists across different fields shows potential for enhancing medication handling for elderly individuals. Pharmacists focus on managing medications for safe and effective use, while nurses are skilled in offering guidance on diseases and monitoring medication adherence and symptoms. Nurses and pharmacists can collaborate to create personalized medication management plans for elderly patients, ensuring safe and effective medication utilization.


Providing older adults in senior housing communities with access to medications and treatments is an important factor to consider. While certain treatments may be offered at no charge or paid for by insurance, others may necessitate payments from personal funds. Medicaid and Medicare frequently do not provide complete coverage for prescription drug expenses, causing financial difficulty for elderly individuals with few resources. Ensuring older adults have affordable access to essential medications and treatments is crucial for promoting their health and well-being.


    In summary, a multi-faceted approach is needed to tackle medication management challenges and provide essential care for older adults. By encouraging collaborations across disciplines, supporting adherence to medications, and lobbying for affordable medication and treatment access, we can enhance the health and quality of life of elderly individuals, enabling them to age gracefully with dignity.