Older and Wiser: Essential Knowledge for the Management of Older Adults

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About the Course:
This course will discuss specific medication issues that can occur in older adults and how pharmacists can help manage these issues. A discussion of fall risk and prevention and the Beer’s criteria for potentially inappropriate medications in older adults will be included, as well as a discussion about deprescribing guidelines.

Learning Objectives:
Upon completion of this course, the learner should be able to:
  • Discuss the physiologic changes that occur in older adults which make them distinct from the general population.
  • Review the current theories of Alzheimer’s disease pathophysiology.
  • Identify patients who present with Alzheimer’s disease based on its criteria for diagnosis.
  • Recommend appropriate therapy for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease with respect to its mechanisms, dosing, and adverse effects.
  • Identify patients who present with Parkinson’s disease based on its criteria for diagnosis.
  • Discuss the current FDA-approved therapies for Parkinson’s disease, including mechanism, dosing, and adverse effects.
  • Recognize medications from the most current Beer’s criteria of potentially inappropriate medications to be used in older adults.
  • Define the process of deprescribing and discuss how it relates to older adults.
  • Develop a plan for incorporating “brown bag” medication reviews into practice, which focus on common issues for older adults.
About the Author:
Melanie Padgett, PharmD earned her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from Duquesne University. She has been a community pharmacist for seven years and has experience writing for medical education companies. She has completed additional training in immunizations, pain management, and diabetes.

How to receive credit:
  • A minimum test score of 75 percent is needed to obtain a credit.

Activity Type - Knowledge-based

Target Audience - Pharmacists, Pharmacists Technicians


Disclosures:

  • Contact hours will be awarded through the expiration date.
  • You must score 75% or higher on the final exam and complete the course evaluation to pass this course and have your record of completion submitted through CPE Monitor and to the NABP.
  • Through our review process, Elite ensures that this course content is presented in a balanced, unbiased manner and is free from commercial influence. It is Elite's policy not to accept commercial support.
  • All persons involved in the planning and development of this course have disclosed no relevant financial relationships or other conflicts of interest related to the course content.