Aged care services
Older adults living in residential aged care are often taking multiple medications, including medications that may no longer be necessary or that may be potentially inappropriate. This can increase the risk of medication-related harm such as adverse drug events, hospitalisations, falls and diminished quality of life. Supporting safe and effective use of medications is an important component of delivering high quality care for people living in residential aged care.
Recognising the importance of improving health outcomes for all Australians, including older adults, ‘Quality Use of Medicines and Medicine Safety’ was declared Australia’s newest National Health Priority Area in 2019. Aligned with this national priority and the broader Quality Use of Medicines (QUM) strategy, our goal is to support the safe and effective use of medicines in residential aged care.
The Aged Care Services group at the Centre for Medicine Use and Safety (CMUS) leads a portfolio of large-scale national projects designed to improve medication safety and optimise therapeutic outcomes for residents. We have a strong focus on translating research into practice, through the development of clinical practice guidelines, practical tools, education and advancing the role of knowledge brokers.
Our multidisciplinary work is conducted in collaboration with aged care providers, healthcare professionals, consumer advocates, researchers, and policymakers—both nationally and internationally. Through our work, we are committed to improving the health and wellbeing of Australians living in residential aged care.
