Pharmacists have added responsibilities due to the pandemic. They now not only have to look into prevention of infection, be able to manage the supply chains, and reach out to vulnerable elderly who are among the hardest hit. These patients often present several health conditions simultaneously; hence they would be taking several medications at a time. Making adjustments to their drug treatment during the pandemic is the biggest challenge ever.

Pharmacists have the dual duty of guaranteeing care and support to their patients, which is possible when there is a pharmacy in every locality. The pharmacies have worked out a plan to provide follow-up care even during the pandemic to reach out to the elderly not to get deprived of care. Even when there is a high risk of infection, especially for the elderly, the pharmacists have been able to continue their services so that they don’t suffer from not having to get their medications on time.

What the pharmacists have to do?

You can now find that local pharmacy in Liverpool provides essential frontline services because the community pharmacists have to work in tandem to ensure patient care continues. Along with the pre-existing community care, pharmacists have to adapt and adopt changes because the pharmacies are helping control the spread of COVID-19. With the surging infection rates, the pharmacist has to work on stockpiling household provisions and prescription renewal requests to meet the demand while protecting staff the patients who come to the pharmacy.

What the pharmacists have to face?

1. The pharmacy staff has to look out for elderly patient groups who need regular blood glucose testing. The requirements for providing continued care have an additional risk of infection during the pandemic. The aged have to rely on delivery services and avoid unnecessary pharmacy visits, even those who are seeking treatment of diabetes using blood glucose testing.

2. Older people need in-person support as they might feel lonely and abandoned and may feel withdrawn because of the reduced visits of family members, friends, etc. They cannot manage their medications, wherein the elderly will have to receive specialized pharmaceutical services for nursing homes.

3. There are problems associated with changing medications brands and associated instructions due to shortage of supply and the routine in-person treatment. Hence pharmacy in every locality will help encounter this problem and see that there aren’t issues of non-adherence, accidental overdose, etc.

4. Pharmacists have to be at the forefront in remembering the safeguard procedures when carrying out emergency supplies to the patient’s request. They have been able to adopt a pragmatic as well as a flexible approach to the community pharmacy payments for the medications.

5. With the elderly, the pharmacists find that drug administration and compliance issues arise. Hence a therapeutic regimen needs to be established to ensure point-of-care measurements for glycaemia and blood pressure testing.

Pharmacies can build up a care plan to better the lives of the elderly concerning health quality and increased satisfaction. With this kind of care, aged citizens can manage their chronic conditions more effectively.