A Survey to characterise the extent and quality of typical pharmacy services in non-government nursing homes in New South Wales

The elderly as a group are the main consumers of prescription medicines. They are also the group most likely to be suffering from a number of chronic illnesses and to be taking multiple medications. Age-related changes in physiological and pathological processes produce changes in drug disposition and altered responses to drug activity.

These age-related differences predispose elderly people to toxic or undesired effects of drugs. The consequences of taking multiple medications, i.e. polypharmacy, and the changes in drug handling with age are broad and include adverse drug reactions, patient non-compliance, increased morbidity and mortality, and increased health care costs.