A New Year’s Rx resolution

Since it’s the end of 2025, I thought I’d offer a senior suggestion for a New Year’s resolution.

But first, for this topic, I need to remind you that I’m not a doctor or a pharmacist—just a writer who’s been digging into issues that affect us seniors. Over the years, I’ve read about healthy aging and some common pitfalls in healthcare. 

Recently, a piece in The Wall Street Journal  raised a red flag for me. Titled “America’s Seniors Are Overmedicated,” it shines a light on how too many pills can do more harm than good. It got me thinking that we all need to pay closer attention to our medicine cabinets, especially after a hospital visit where doctors who may not be familiar with our histories tend to prescribe new Rxs.

I want to talk about what overmedication, or polypharmacy as the experts call it, really means. It’s when folks are taking five or more prescription drugs at the same time. According to that WSJ analysis, in 2022, one in six of the 46 million seniors on Medicare’s drug plan were juggling eight or more meds simultaneously. The breakdown is: 7.6 million of us prescribed eight or more for at least 90 days, with 3.9 million on ten or more, and over 419,000 handling 15 or more. And this isn’t just a one-off finding. 

Studies show polypharmacy has been on the rise. Back in 1999-2000, about 23.5% of folks 65 and older were in this boat, but by 2017-2018, it jumped to 44.1%. Globally, it’s even higher among frail seniors, hitting 59% in some groups. In the U.S., up to 65% of older adults seen in doctor’s offices deal with it.

Why is this happening? Well, as we age, chronic conditions like heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, and pain pile up. The WSJ points out that in areas with high rates of these issues, like rural parts of the South, (where we live,) doctors tend to prescribe more. Often, we see multiple specialists, and they might not have our full medication list or shared records. One drug leads to another to manage side effects, and before you know it, you’re on a cocktail that wasn’t planned out.

The risks are no joke. Mixing meds, especially those affecting the brain and nerves—like sedatives, muscle relaxants, or pain relievers—can amp up side effects. Falls are a big one; the WSJ notes how these combos can make us dizzy or unsteady, leading to trips and tumbles. In fact, polypharmacy is linked to more adverse drug events, like fractures, kidney problems, confusion, and even higher death rates. 

It’s the fifth leading cause of death in the U.S., and behind nearly 30% of hospital admissions. Among those on eight or more drugs, 3.6 million seniors get at least one that’s on the “Beers list”—meds that geriatricians say we should avoid, like benzodiazepines (taken by 1.6 million) or gabapentin (568,000).  

Take Barbara Schmidt, an 83-year-old from Delaware featured in the WSJ. She was on over a dozen meds from five providers, including gabapentin for pain, Valium for anxiety, and more. She suffered scary falls—a shattered hip, an escalator tumble, even off a ladder—blamed at first on illness but then tied to her pills. After a review, she cut back and hasn’t fallen since, and, she’s feeling sharper too.

The good news? There’s something called de-prescribing—carefully cutting back or stopping meds that aren’t helping or could harm. It reduces the number of inappropriate pills , lowering drug burdens, side effects, and costs. Studies show it can cut hospital readmissions and improve quality of life, with few withdrawal issues. It’s done through reviews using tools like the Beers Criteria.  

The Beers Criteria, often called the AGS (American Geriatrics Society), is a set of guidelines developed by the (AGS) to help identify medications that may be potentially inappropriate for adults aged 65 and older. It’s essentially a list of drugs where the risks—such as side effects like confusion, falls, or bleeding—often outweigh the benefits for older people, due to how our bodies change with age, like slower metabolism or reduced kidney function. The criteria aren’t a strict ban on these meds but serve as a tool for doctors, pharmacists, and patients to make safer choices and consider alternatives.

Again, I’m no expert in this field but personal experience and reading on this topic have taught me to always carry a complete list of my prescriptions—including over-the-counter items and supplements—when I see any doctor. And, to not be shy about asking them to review it and eliminate anything unnecessary or only marginally helpful. 

If you would make this your New Year’s Rx resolution, It could save you from a fall or worse in 2026.  I hope you have a very Happy, Healthy and fall free 2026!

Thanks for reading All About Seniors, see you next week!

Bill Milby is a Director of Visiting Angels® of Central Georgia, a non-medical, living assistance service for seniors. If you have questions or comments about this column you can reach him at william.mercylink@gmail.com or search for us at  https://www.facebook.com/VisitingAngelsofCentralGA