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Drugs and the Elderly Patient with Dementia in the Orlando, Florida Area.

Drugs are being prescribed to the elderly. A very concerning and scary thought is the prevalence of psychotropic and opioid prescription fills among community-dwelling older adults with dementia in the United States. A 2015 report highlighted the paucity of knowledge about the prescribing of psychotropics to adults with dementia in community settings. Prior estimates are more than 10 years old and exclude benzodiazepines and opioids. Given the risk of harm when prescribing such central nervous system (CNS)-active medications to older adults with dementia, more data are needed to inform research and policy. It is estimated central nervous system (CNS)-active medication prescriptions among community-dwelling older adults with dementia, identifying the most commonly prescribed medications. 

The CDC data shows that 10.7 percent of United States adults used prescription pain medication from 2015 to 2018. If you have an elderly parent with dementia or are a caregiver to an elderly person with dementia, have you thought about the medications your loved one with dementia have been prescribed.  Have they been prescribed psychotropic drugs or opioids? Have you discussed those prescriptions that were prescribed with the elderly person’s doctor to go over the risks, safety, and side effects associated with the prescribed drugs? Do you have concerns or unanswered questions that you would like answered? Maybe you should do research and set up an appointment to go over the prescriptions prescribed and the benefits of the drugs versus the risks and side effects. You could discuss the necessity of the drugs and whether there are other drugs available. You could also see another doctor for a second opinion if you have unanswered concerns. You can also research the medication in-depth too. 

If you have more questions regarding an Elderly Law matter, you may call Ann Marie Giordano Gilden at Ann Marie Giordano Gilden, P.A. at 407-732-7620, and set an initial consultation. You may also visit my website at: https//:www.AnnMarieGildenLaw.com; and check me out on these other sites: Ann Marie Giordano Gilden on FaceBook; Ann Marie (Giordano) Gilden on Linked In; and Ann Marie Giordano Gilden on AVVO and Lawyers.com. 

This article is for informational purposes only; and it does not form an attorney-client privilege.