This medication-related problem includes failure to receive the medication appropriately because of a healthcare professional s error in prescribing, dispensing, administering, or monitoring, or a patient s failure to adhere to the directions for use of the medication by the patient. For medications to be effective, a specific dose must be taken at specified times and for a specific period of time. A common reason that older adults fail to receive medications is nonadherence to or noncompliance with the medication regimen. Patients do not take medications as prescribed or instructed for a number of different reasons such as lack of understanding of the directions, physical or mental inability to comply with the prescribed regimen, or the high cost of medications. The high cost of medications and the limited coverage for outpatient prescription drugs in public and private health insurance are other major causes of noncompliance in the older population.
Many pharmaceutical companies provide free medications to people with low incomes.
Several states offer pharmaceutical assistance programs for low-income elders who are not eligible for Medicaid. Pharmacists can often help older people to obtain medications through these programs. There is always a reason for noncompliance. It is the responsibility of healthcare professionals to identify whether a patient is complying with the medication regimen and, if not, to determine the reason. Many appropriate interventions have been developed to change the patient s behavior and improve compliance.