The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 279 No 7461 p77
21 July 2007

Refreshing guide for pharmacists with an interest in the care of older people

‘Pharmacy practice in an aging society’, by Jeanette Yeznach Wick. Pp xv+189. Price $24.95. New York: Pharmaceutical Products Press, an imprint of The Haworth Press, Inc; 2006.
ISBN 978 0 7890 2652 X

This book is a guide to pharmacy related issues surrounding older age. It is unusual for pharmacy in that, rather than focusing on pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of drugs in the older person, it concentrates on how medicines and pharmacy issues fit in with the ageing person’s life. This is a refreshing change.

This book will be of interest to any pharmacist, from hospital or community practice, who has an interest in the wider context of the care of older people, with its discussion of areas of geriatric care traditionally considered peripheral to pharmacy, but emphasising pharmaceutical care.

The book is well referenced from a variety of medical, social and other sources and, despite much of the demographic information being related to the US, most of the information is of general interest and some can be extrapolated to other countries.

The book focuses on practical suggestions based on common sense. The author uses humorous vignettes at the start of most sections to introduce broad concepts of ageing to the reader. These include communication, addiction, elder abuse, sexual activity, stress and memory and each concept is linked with potential ways for pharmacist contribution. Even the final chapter on dealing with death has a pragmatic focus: clearing out the medicine cabinet.

The book is good value for money and the chapters can be read sequentially or separately.


Nina Barnett
(a consultant pharmacist for older people at Northwick Park Hospital in Harrow, Middlesex)