Local pharmacists to help seniors review drug combos, avoid falls

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

The wrong combination of medications can cause dizziness, drowsiness and confusion, so local pharmacists next week will review seniors’ medications for free to look for drug combos that could cause falls.

Ziks Family Pharmacy in Dayton, Barr’s Hometown Pharmacy in Xenia and all Ohio Walgreens stores are among 400 locations where pharmacists hold the medication reviews April 1 to 7.

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“More than 50 percent of patients take their medicines incorrectly, resulting in approximately 10 percent of hospital admissions,” stated Ernest Boyd, executive director of the Ohio Pharmacists Association.

The Ohio Department of Aging and Ohio Pharmacists Association are promoting the medication checks to help older Ohioans and their caregivers understand and minimize the risk of falling potentially caused by the medicines they take.

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“One in three Ohioans over the age of 60 will experience a fall this year, and falls are the leading cause of emergency room visits, hospitalizations and deaths among our elders,” stated Beverley L. Laubert, interim director of the department. “Prevention starts by understanding the risks, and we thank our pharmacy partners for having this crucial conversation with their customers.”

Some pharmacies in the region that are participating include:

PharmacyAddressDateTime
Barr's Hometown Pharmacy28 W. Main St., XeniaApril 69 a.m. to 6 p.m.
ZIKS Family Pharmacy1130 W. Third St., DaytonApril 310 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Jackson Pharmacy & Wellness Center101B E. Pike St., Jackson CenterApril 610 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Madison Avenue Pharmacy640 N. Fountain Ave., SpringfieldApril 310 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Healing Springs Pharmacy2449 Ross Millville Rd. #185, HamiltonApril 3 - 59 a.m. to noon
Walgreens PharmacyAll Ohio locationsApril 3Contact pharmacy

For the full list of participating Ohio pharmacies, click here.

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