Nearly half of all adults over 65 take five or more medications simultaneously. No single doctor has the full picture. And the consequences — falls, cognitive decline, dangerous drug interactions — are often attributed to aging rather than to the medications themselves.
In this episode, John Webb breaks down what polypharmacy actually is, why it happens, and how to advocate effectively with your parent's doctor. From creating a complete medication list to knowing exactly which questions to ask, this episode gives families the tools to intervene before the next hospitalization.
Polypharmacy is taking five or more medications at the same time — nearly half of adults over 65 do. The danger isn't any single drug; it's that no one prescriber has the full picture, so interactions and side effects get attributed to aging instead of to the medications.
A medication causes a side effect. The side effect gets interpreted as a new medical problem. A second medication is prescribed for it — with its own side effects. Families can end up four medications deep, and the root cause was one drug's side effect that nobody flagged.
Build the complete list — not just prescriptions. Include over-the-counter "PM" sleep aids, supplements, leftover medications, and anything borrowed. Check the nightstand, the purse, the glove compartment. Then ask the single most useful question: "Is there anything on this list she could safely stop taking?"