Medication taking behavior of the elderly: a pilot study.

The results of structured interviews of fifty persons aged 65 years and older who were living independently in the community indicated that hazardous as well as wasteful practices were occurring in their medication taking behavior. Sixty-six percent of the medications used by this population were being taken without adequate instructions and twenty-five percent of the medications were not being taken as labeled. There is a need for a greatly improved coordination, improved education, and advocacy involving patients, nurses, pharmacists and physicians in medication use.