A scoping review on Pharmaceutical Care for the elderly in Home Care

Abstract

Population aging can increase the development of Non-Communicable Chronic Diseases (NCDs), and consequently, lead to polypharmacy. In this context, pharmaceutical services for home care offer several benefits to the patient, reducing drug-related problems (DRP). This review aims to map the findings on pharmaceutical services provided to elderly patients in home care. Methods: A scoping review was conducted with the question: "What services are provided by pharmacists for the elderly in home care?"
Using the PCC acronym, the search strategy was performed to track studies in the following databases: PubMed; BVS (Virtual Health Library); Cochrane Library; Web of Science; Scopus, and Google Scholar. Results/Discussion: Studies were found n = 497, and eleven studies were included and considered eligible for data extraction by a researcher and a reviewer. The clinical services provided by pharmacists in home care found were drug therapy review, pharmacotherapeutic follow-up, medication reconciliation, health education, and health screening. The main DRPs encompassed non-adherence to medication, adverse drug reactions, and inappropriate doses. In addition, the most relevant pharmaceutical interventions in home care services were measures to improve adherence and understanding of drug therapy, dose adjustments, and health education practices. Conclusion: Pharmacist care in home care can contribute to improving adherence to drug therapy, understanding of medication therapy, and safe use of drugs.