Individuals who are 65 and older are a rapidly growing portion of the United States population. The growth of this group from 2010 to 2020 was the largest of any decade since 1880- 1890, growing five times faster than the total population (U.S. Census Bureau, 2020). Health issues are a common source of concern for older adults. Having more than one chronic illness is highly prevalent in older adults, with 73% being affected by multimorbidity (Schlitz, 2022).
Having multiple simultaneous conditions often requires several prescription medications to manage them. Polypharmacy, typically defined as the regular use of five or more medications at the same time, is very common in older adults (Pazan and Wehling, 2021). In 2024, older adults accounted for approximately one-third of outpatient spending on prescription medications in the United States, despite making up only approximately 14% of the total adult population (Varghese et al., 2024). Taking multiple medications for different conditions can lead to adverse outcomes. Common complications such as delirium, kidney failure, and low blood pressure are seen frequently in older adults (Varghese et al., 2024). The presence of these complications highlights the need for alternative interventions to reduce the negative impacts of polypharmacy in older adults.
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