Medication Safety and Cabinet Cleanout

The Medication Safety and Cabinet Cleanout program was developed and implemented in November of 2008. This program was developed in response to a national campaign advertised by the Health Unit. This staff-facilitated program is made available to seniors in response to research that has reported a higher incidence of seniors experiencing drug interactions than other age groups. The goal of the program is to educate seniors about the importance of taking medications safely, including the fact that old medications can be harmful not only to them but to the environment if disposed of incorrectly. This program consisted of presentations by the SCHC Seniors Programmer and Clinical Pharmacist in three seniors' buildings in the catchment area over a period of two days. Home visits (by appointment) were also conducted to educate seniors in their homes and assist with the correct disposal of their old medications. In addition to the presentations and home visits, referrals are also accepted to provide continued support and assistance to the seniors in the community. SCHC collaborated with the local IDA pharmacy for the disposal of the medications.

- One of the representatives from HIROC Insurance found the information about medication safety so important and vital to the health and safety of seniors that D. Hamel published a story on the HIROC website (under Risk Management tab). The article is - Healthcare provider educating seniors about medication safety - Program focusing on medication storage and disposal - Friday, November 21, 2008 - D. Hamel.

- In January of 2009 the Medication Safety and Medication Cabinet Cleanout Program was nominated for a William Sibbald Award of Excellence in Patient Safety.

Click here for the latest Medication Cabinet Cleanout Flyer.

For more information, please contact Kristina at (519) 258-6002 ext. 234.

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