One-Third of Older Adults With Cognitive Disorders Take Drugs That Could Harm Them

As the population ages, medication safety is becoming increasingly important for people with cognitive decline. Older adults with dementia and other cognitive disorders are less likely than they were a decade ago to receive medications that can worsen memory, balance, and coordination. But nearly one in three still takes at least one potentially inappropriate drug. A study found that these drugs can increase the risk of falls, hospitalization, and even death in older adults with cognitive disorders.