Ability Assessment of the Elders to Manage Their Own Medication: A First Step for the Empowerment of the Geriatric Population

Abstract

About 45% of older people are unable to take their medicines as prescribed. Adherence represents a complex behavior that involves both the intention and the ability to take medication. In this way, it is important to distinguish the intention to take medicine and the ability to do so. The daily consumption of medication is a methodical process, marked by routine and that can be affected by several systematic errors associated, not only due to ignorance and illiteracy, but also to its gradual loss of functional ability (physical, cognitive, and sensorial), in order to manage medication. Decreased cognitive skills, visual acuity, and manual dexterity have a significant impact on non-adherence (non-intentional), which may lead to health problems as a result of the absence or incorrect medication administration. This study presented as its main objective to assess the functional ability of community-dwelling elderly to manage their own medication, with recourse to specific tools, validated and adapted to Portugal.