Advice On Dumping Old Medicines Safely

July 28, 2009

New programme urges seniors to dump their old medicines safely

Home Instead Senior Care’s Operation Medicine Cabinet aims to protect seniors and others by correctly disposing of old medicines

New Zealand senior citizens are being urged to safely dispose of their expired or no longer used medications free of charge in a community service programme called Operation Medicine CabinetTM being run for the first time in this country.

New Zealand offices of Home Instead Senior Care are coordinating Operation Medicine CabinetTM, which aims to help protect seniors and others from accidentally using expired medication.

The campaign has been run successfully by Home Instead Senior Care offices in other countries. Home Instead Senior Care is the world’s largest provider of non-medical care for seniors in their own homes.

Studies have shown that only a quarter of New Zealanders take their unwanted medications back to the pharmacy for disposal. And the biggest users of medications tend to be in the older age groups. Most New Zealanders over 70, who have been dispensed any medication, are on at least four medications1. Millions of dollars worth of medicines are being flushed down the toilet or dumped in landfills.

“This programme aims to create awareness of the correct way to dispose of unwanted medications as well as safeguarding older people from the potential for theft of medications from their homes,” says Neil Farnworth of the Home Instead Senior Care, NZ Office.

The Operation Medicine CabinetTM programme will run until end of August, with pamphlets being distributed within Home Instead networks, and those of health professionals and participating pharmacies.

The programme encourages older people to visit their local pharmacy and put expired medicines in the bins provided. The advice given includes:

• Don’t flush your unused medicines down the toilet
• Check medicines for use by date
• Don’t throw your medicines in the rubbish
• Don’t use your medicine for conditions other than that it is prescribed for
• Don’t give your medicines to anyone else to use

Mr Farnworth says medicines need to be disposed of safely and effectively to reduce the possibility of unintentional poisonings. The removal of surplus medicines from homes also aims to reduce inappropriate self-medication. Seniors and their family members are particularly vulnerable due to the high number of different medications prescribed.

According to US healthcare company Arcadia Healthcare, the average senior refills their prescriptions 12 to 17 times a year. Furthermore, NZ research shows that the higher the number of medications taken the higher the risk of an adverse drug reaction and a stay in hospital.

Mr Farnworth says that, according to data from Safekids, around 245 children are hospitalised in New Zealand each year2 for unintentional poisoning from medications.

“The programme can also help protect the environment including pets and other animals by providing a safe way to dispose of prescription drugs before they are introduced into landfills or the water supply,” he adds.

“While other disposal campaigns have been around for some time, this focus is directed towards seniors,” says Mr Farnworth.

“Considering such a significant impact on seniors and society, we consider our donation of time for the project an important community service,” he says.

After the medications are passed in, they are destroyed by a collection contractor.

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1 Pharmaceutical Warehouse Data (NZHIS) 2007.
2 Injury Prevention Research Unit, unpublished NZHIS Hospitalisation
Discharge Data (2000–2004). Safekids New Zealand Fact Sheet.

About Home Instead Senior Care

Home Instead Senior Care is the world's largest provider of comprehensive companionship and home care services for seniors. These services are provided through a network of franchise offices located throughout the United States, Canada, Japan, Portugal, Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, Taiwan, Spain, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Germany, South Korea, Finland and Austria.

Home Instead Senior Care operates offices out of a number of New Zealand sites, including Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga, Manawatu, Kapiti, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin to provide in-home support for families who are caring for an elderly relative.

The company’s services are designed for practically any living arrangement where an older adult simply needs human interaction and help with day-to-day activities.

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