Managing medication: Medication therapy management program offered at senior centers

Helping to provide a clearer picture of healthcare options, the Casper-based Senior Patient Advocates is offering a Medication Therapy Management Program for Carbon County senior centers in the area.

Senior Patient Advocates is presenting a program and one-on-one consultation on Medication Therapy Management through a Title III-D funds grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration on Community Living and the State of Wyoming, Department of Health, Aging Division and Community Living Section. Bruce McGirr, R.Ph. with Senior Patient Advocates, said the meetings are to benefit and give concern to healthcare professionals, caregivers and individuals aged 60 and older living in underserved areas.

“We’ll work with Medicare patients and those who are disabled, and we’ll also work with families involved with transitioning family members from hospital to home, or hospital to nursing home or assisted living center,” he said. “We’ll deal with insurance and financial issues that have never been solved, and issues with obtaining medications and making sure they’re used correctly. Maybe some people can’t afford medications and are skipping doses or just not buying medications they need, or they may think taking certain vitamins and supplements don’t affect their medications. It’s important to have someone review medications and make sure they’re constantly being updated, and to address problems with transitions of family members.”

Additionally, the one-on-one pharmacist consultations are offered at no charge to the facility or any individuals aged 60 and older who participate at the meetings.

The local dates and locations for the Medication Therapy Management Program are as follows:

1 p.m. on Aug. 19 at the Baggs Senior Center, 340 Whippoorwill Drive in Baggs.

1 p.m. on Aug. 21 at the Saratoga Senior Center, 214 Constitution in Saratoga.

1 p.m. on Aug. 24 at the Hanna Senior Center, 1007 Trona Court in Hanna.

For more information about Senior Patient Advocates, call 307-472-1770.