|
TRENTON
-The New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services has awarded
$179,000 to Bergen, Middlesex and Passaic counties to develop medication
management, screening and education programs for senior citizens
to help them and their families become more aware of the potential
medical complications for those who are taking more than one medication
at a time.
"New
Jersey's older adults and their families need to be aware of the
potential dangers of taking multiple medications," said acting
Commissioner of Health and Senior Services George T. DiFerdinando,
Jr., MD. "These new programs are the latest New Jersey services
that will help our older adults improve their quality of life while
maintaining their independence and dignity as they age in place."
According
to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, two-thirds
of adults over age 65 use one or more drugs each day, and a quarter
of them take three drugs each day. A number of potential problems
face older adults taking multiple medications, including adverse
drug interactions, confusion and impaired motor function.
Bergen
County was awarded $62,000 for their program, Passaic County was
awarded $45,000 and Middlesex County was awarded $72,000. Each county
will run its own program that is tailored to its own senior citizen
demographics.
In
Bergen County, medication screening and counseling programs will
be available at five senior sites - Southwest Senior Activity Center
in East Rutherford; Palisades Park Senior Activity Center in Palisades
Park; Americas Unidas Senior Activity Center in Hackensack; the
Northwest Senior Activity Center in Midland Park; and North Arlington
Senior Activity Center in North Arlington.
Special
efforts will be made to provide service to Hispanic, Korean/Asian
and African-American older adults, as well as to older adults who
are hearing impaired. Also planned are "Medication and Senior
Health" bulletins and education seminars.
In
Middlesex County, the county office on aging will coordinate individual
assessments for seniors who are at high risk for adverse medication-related
health events.
Family
medicine physicians from the UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
will help seniors develop medication management plans. UMDNJ's nursing
staff will monitor these plans on a weekly basis. Individuals over
60 years of age who are living alone or have no immediate family
will qualify for this program. The counseling program will be available
for seniors living in New Brunswick, Highland Park, East Brunswick,
Edison, North Brunswick and South Brunswick.
In
Passaic County, the office on aging will provide in-home medication
screening services for older adult residents in Morris and Passaic
counties. Individualized plans will be developed for participants
to assist them in maintaining optimal health and in remaining in
their homes. The Morris County Division on Aging and the Health
Councils of Morris and Passaic Counties will partner with the Passaic
County Office on Aging in the administration of this program.
The
Bergen, Middlesex and Passaic county Offices on Aging were awarded
funds to develop these pilot programs through a competitive application
process that was based on demonstrated need for the proposed program,
the establishment of collaborative relationships for program implementation,
and strategies for providing services to diverse senior populations.
The funds were provided by the federal Administration on Aging and
distributed through New Jersey's Department of Health and Senior
Services.
For
more information on the programs, call 1-877-222-3737.
#
# #
|
