Co-design of a medicine management needs assessment tool for older adults with visual impairment

Introduction: Older adults with sensory impairment (OAwSI) experience substantial challenges with medication management. A variety of devices and strategies exist to support medicine management but people (both the older adult and professionals providing care for them) do not necessarily know what is available and what solutions might best suit their needs and preferences.
Aims/Objectives: The objectives were to:
1. Identify assessment tools for assessing medication management capacity in OAwSI.
2. Explore Health and Social Care Professionals (HSCP) current practices for assessing medication management needs and providing assistive technologies to community-dwelling OAwSI.
Methods: The programme comprised two empirical components:
• A scoping review to identify medication management assessment tools.
• An interview study with HSCPs in Scotland to explore current practice with medicines management assessment. The interviews were conducted online and analysed using the Framework Method.
Results: The scoping review identified 17 medication management assessment tools, none of which were specifically designed to address sensory impairment-related medication management needs. Most tools focused on cognitive and physical abilities, with limited validation and applicability for sensory impairments. Interviews were completed with 13 HSCPs and identified a lack of standardised practice in terms of medicines management needs assessment. HSCPs relied on self-assessment by OAwSI. There was limited awareness of relevant assistive technologies, how to access them, and funding options that did not rely upon self-funding by patients.
Discussion/Conclusion: There is a need for a standardised, validated tool tailored to identify the medication management needs of OAwSI. Given the prevalence of visual impairment and its impact on medication safety, the final stage of this research programme will focus on the co-design of a tool to address the medicine management needs of OAwVI and improve safe and effective medicine in these patient populations.