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Council
on Family Health offers Medicine Use
Information for Older Adults
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by:
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Educational
booklet distributed in cooperation with FDA, AoA
As many people age, they are faced with health problems that may need
to be treated with the regular use of medicine. And with the normal
body changes caused by aging, the likelihood of potential problems with
medicines increases for many seniors. With this in mind, the Council on
Family Health (CFH) has updated Medicines and You: A Guide for Older
Adults -- its educational guide for seniors about safe and responsible
medicine use. The revised guide, which is also available in Spanish,
will be distributed in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Health
and Human Services’ Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and
Administration on Aging (AoA).
The new publication will be available for the first time at the 2004
Joint Conference of The National Council on the Aging and the American
Society on Aging, April 14-17, in San Francisco, California.
Medicines and You, first published by CFH in 1991, provides practical
information for older adults about the use of prescription and
nonprescription medicines. The educational guide gives facts about drug
interactions, tips for talking to healthcare professionals, and ways
seniors can help lower their medicine costs. The 17-page guide also
features “My Medicine Record,” a chart on which seniors can list the
medicines they take and other important health information.
“Medicines and You offers everyday information that can help older
adults manage their medicines and their overall health,” says CFH
President Robert G. Donovan. “It is important for seniors to know as
much as possible about their medicines. Knowledge and good
communication between older adults and their health professionals can
help avoid problems with medicines,” he adds.
Donovan urges: “Learn about your medicines. Read medicine labels and
package inserts and follow the directions. If you have questions, ask
your doctor or other healthcare professionals.”
For a free copy of Medicines and You: A Guide for Older Adults (please
specify English or Spanish), write to - FDA/MEDYOU, PSC Personal
Property Facility, 16071 Industrial Drive, Gaithersburg, MD 20877; send
an email request to dpapubs@cder.fda.gov; or call AoA’s Eldercare
Locator at 1-800-677-1116. To view the guide online, go to
www.cfhinfo.org.
The guide also will be distributed through FDA’s and AoA’s regional
offices nationwide.
The Council on Family Health, a nonprofit organization established in
1966, is dedicated to educating consumers about the proper use of
nonprescription and prescription medicines, dietary supplements, home
safety, and personal health.
Contact: Diane Concannon/Meg Grattan Council on Family Health
908-359-3120
About the author:
Press Release
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