Assisted Living Facilities: The Next Frontier for Consultant Pharmacists.

Consultant pharmacists improve the lives of older adults by providing medication management, avoiding adverse drug reactions, and uncovering duplicative therapy. Despite this, there is a lack of legislation supporting the role of the consultant pharmacist in many of the settings-other than nursing facilities-where seniors reside. Specifically, federal and state laws do not recognize consultant pharmacists for their specialized role in pharmacotherapy and the potential benefits they bring to older adults in assisted living facilities. Among many services, consultant pharmacists may provide monthly medication reviews, staff medication education, and medication system management in assisted living facilities. A literature search was conducted to identify literature supporting the benefits of consultant pharmacists in assisted living facilities. Gaps in available literature are discussed as are ideas for expanding the role of consultant pharmacists in assisted living facilities.