Seniors Saving Money—to Their Medical Peril

Seniors are filling fewer prescriptions these days because of the economy, according to a recent study. And that means their diseases may be getting worse. Bloomberg reports:

Drugs used for chronic diseases, including high blood pressure, osteoporosis and cholesterol, saw the biggest drops among seniors. Patients who skip care because they don’t feel sick, or who take one pill every two days instead of daily as prescribed, can end up in more expensive care later, said Larry Kocot, deputy director of the Engelberg Center for Health Care Reform at the Brookings Institution in Washington, [D.C.]

If your parents are on a fixed income, or even if they aren’t, it might be a good idea to make sure they’re taking their medications as prescribed. (That’s one thing home-care aides pay attention to.) Taking a few pills can mean avoiding a few days in the hospital and a few weeks of recovery—or worse.