Community Pharmaceutical Care with Older Adults

Abstract

Introduction: Older adults have conditions that hinder an adequate home management of medicines that require community pharmaceutical care actions.

Objective: To implement actions within the framework of community pharmaceutical care with older adults of Los Guido-Desamparados, Costa Rica on aspects that promote the rational use of medicines and healthy lifestyles.

Methods: A participatory action research was carried out with 74 elderly people (51 men and 23 women) from Los Guido through the planning, implementation and qualitative evaluation of recreational activities within the framework of the macro-research project of the Health Research Institute of the University of Costa Rica. The application of an initial and final opinion questionnaire, the lottery game with images of pharmaceutical forms, the implementation of two theater plays, discussion groups, socialization spaces and healthy snacks were included.

Results: Most older adults believe that the topics addressed are considered very important, of which the report of adverse reactions and the performance of healthy lifestyle activities stand out. At the beginning, 32% thought that the recreational activities carried out favor learning and in the end the percentage went to 89% of favorable opinions.

Conclusions: Community pharmaceutical care at the first level of health care allows the integration of research, teaching and community action after the implementation of recreational activities that favor self-care, the rational use of medicines and the well-being of people, which requires spaces that facilitate intergenerational relationships, multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary work.