Improving Communication Between the Elderly and Pharmacies: A Self-Initiative Training Program

Twenty residential elderly women receiving antidepressant medication (Elavil) participated in a three-phase training program on types of questions to ask pharmacists. PreBaseline and Baseline phases establishe the current level at which participants knew or asked about aspects of their medication regimen. Training phases 1 and 2 introduced a simple recording form which listed specific questions and statements that participants read verbatim in role-play (analogue) situations. Telephon analogues using confederate pharmacists help to develop a basic communicative repertoire for Training phase 3, wherein participants actual called local area pharmacists. Efforts toward skill generalization involved the same procedure when calling area physicians. Training results strong indicated that seniors who can follow and incorporate instructions reliabl and accurately can broaden their access to information about medical health.