The Pharmaceutical Journal Vol 267 No 7169 p495-500
13 October 2001

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Older people with depression or dementia need pharmacists’ support

A need for pharmacists to provide more support for older people with mental health problems has been identified.

A survey has found that pharmaceutical support for older people with mental health problems who live in their own homes is rarely available. However, it also found that pharmacists are keen to provide services for older people but currently lack the funding to do so.

The study was conducted by Diane Harris, a research pharmacist from south Derbyshire, on behalf of the Mental Health Foundation. She asked the opinion of community and hospital pharmacists, and managers of community mental health teams and Alzheimer’s Society branches across the United Kingdom. The study identified particular problems for older people with mental health problems who live in their own homes, including obtaining information on medicines, understanding the instructions for taking medicines and taking the medicine as prescribed.

Only one-third of respondents reported that pharmaceutical support for older people with mental health problems was routinely available. Pharmacists provided little formal support about medication issues to community mental health teams or social services. The most beneficial services a community pharmacist could provide were considered to be: a home visiting service, a prescription collection and delivery service, medication reviews and provision of compliance aids. Pharmacists also suggested medicines management reviews, dementia advice and liaison services for discharged patients.

The major reason given for not having services available was a lack of funding to release pharmacists from their current roles. However, the report found a strong level of commitment to developing additional services.

Jayne Lingard, mental health in later life project consultant, Mental Health Foundation, commented: “We know that many older people with mental health problems such as dementia or depression have difficulties managing their medicines. A home visit from a community pharmacist can make all the difference to somebody who is confused about what to take when, or unsure about what medicines are needed.” She added that pharmacists could help to simplify multiple medication regimens and identify older people who needed antidepressants.

A summary of the research can be found on the Mental Health Foundation’s website (www.mentalhealth.org.uk).

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