Polypharmacy

Polypharmacy is the use of five or more medicines at the same time. It counts prescription medicines, medicines bought over the counter at a pharmacy or supermarket, and complementary medicines such as vitamins and herbal products. This lesson explains why polypharmacy is common among older people and people with complex health needs, and that it is not always wrong: many people genuinely need several medicines. Key points: every medicine counts, the goal is the right medicines for the person, and regular review keeps the list safe.

The more medicines a person takes, the greater the chance of harm. This lesson explains the main risks: side effects, interactions between medicines, the prescribing cascade where a side effect is mistaken for a new condition, and a higher chance of errors. It explains why older people are more sensitive to medicines, as the body processes them differently with age. Key points: polypharmacy is linked to falls, confusion and hospital admissions, and changes you notice may be caused by a medicine.

Support workers see people every day and are often the first to notice changes that could be caused by medicines. This lesson covers common warning signs of medicine related harm: dizziness and falls, new confusion or drowsiness, changes in behaviour or mood, constipation, loss of appetite, nausea, rashes and changes in continence. Key points: any new change after a medicine is started, stopped or changed should be reported, never assume a change is just ageing or disability, and severe reactions such as breathing difficulty need 000.

A medication review is a structured check of all the medicines a person takes, to make sure each one is still needed, working and safe. This lesson explains the Home Medicines Review for people living in the community and the Residential Medication Management Review for people in residential aged care, both carried out by a pharmacist following a referral from the person's doctor. It also explains deprescribing, where the doctor safely reduces or stops medicines. Key point: your observations help the review.

Support workers help people with their medicines only as set out in their medication plan and within our medication policy. This lesson covers the checks you make every time: the right person, right medicine, right dose, right time, right route and right documentation. It explains dose administration aids, why you never add over the counter or complementary medicines without authorisation, and how to handle refusals and missed doses. Key point: if something does not match, stop and check before giving anything.

Even with careful checks, things can go wrong. This lesson explains what to do when a person refuses a medicine, misses a dose or when an error happens, such as a wrong dose or wrong medicine. It covers respecting the person's right to refuse, never hiding medicine in food unless authorised in the plan, getting advice quickly, completing an incident report and learning from errors. It reminds you that this course builds knowledge only and that you must be trained in our medication policy. The lesson ends with a course summary.

This case study follows Dorothy, an older woman living at home with home care support who takes eleven medicines prescribed by three different doctors. She has started feeling dizzy when she stands up and has nearly fallen twice. She also mentions buying a sleeping aid from the chemist. The lesson shows how her care worker observes, records and reports, why over the counter products matter, and how a medication review with her GP and pharmacist can reduce harm. Key points: every medicine counts, report changes, and only the doctor changes medicines.

This case study follows Kenji, a young man with complex disability and epilepsy who takes several medicines and comes home from a hospital stay with changes to his medicines. His new blister pack does not match the medication chart at the house. Later, he becomes unusually drowsy. The lesson covers checking packs against the chart after every change, what to do when they do not match, observing for new side effects, and when to call 000. Key points: never guess, check before giving, get advice, report and follow our medication policy.