ASCP Partners With the Lamy Center at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy to Spread the Adoption of Age-Friendly Health Systems

WASHINGTON, March 15, 2024 (Newswire.com) - As the older adult population continues to grow exponentially, the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists (ASCP) and The Peter Lamy Center on Drug Therapy and Aging (Lamy Center) at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy (UMSOP) are working to ensure this aging community is given the best quality of life possible. These two organizations have partnered to help older adults, and those who care for them, navigate the complexities of managing medications in order to spread the adoption of Age-Friendly Health Systems to all healthcare settings.

This initiative — which will incorporate the expertise of pharmacies and pharmacists who specialize in the care of older adults — plans to enlist these two entities to help bring age-friendly care and the 4Ms (What Matters, Medication, Mentation and Mobility) into long-term care settings to improve the care of older adults and the lives of family caregivers.

“Leveraging Pharmacists as Age-Friendly 4Ms Champions brings together a common vision to improve the care of older adults through collaboration with The John A Hartford Foundation, American Society of Consultant Pharmacists, Peter Lamy Center on Drug Therapy and Aging, Institute for HealthCare Improvement, and leaders in long-term care. I am personally excited to be a part of this amazing team and help to make sustainable change happen. I believe that this work will help pharmacists as part of the interdisciplinary team advance 4M’s Age Friendly Care in long-term care settings,” said Nicole J. Brandt, Lamy Center Executive Director.

“The Age-Friendly movement driven by The John A. Hartford Foundation speaks directly to the role pharmacists and pharmacies play in transforming aging. In partnership with the Lamy Center and the Institute for HealthCare Improvement, ASCP can instill and amplify the 4M principles and the age-friendly movement into the routine care process of long-term care pharmacies, consultant pharmacists and the healthcare partners they work with across the country,” said Chad Worz, ASCP Chief Executive.

The American Society of Consultant Pharmacists (ASCP) is the only international professional society devoted to optimal medication management and improved health outcomes for all older persons. ASCP's members manage and improve drug therapy and improve the quality of life of geriatric patients and other individuals residing in a variety of environments, including nursing facilities, sub-acute care and assisted living facilities, psychiatric hospitals, hospice programs, and home and community-based care.

The Peter Lamy Center on Drug Therapy and Aging is dedicated to improving drug therapy for aging adults through innovative research, education, and clinical initiatives. The Center’s mission is to improve the lives of older adults by optimizing medication safety and use.

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Source: ASCP