FRANKLIN LAKES, N.J., Dec. 29 (UPI) -- Twenty-five percent of U.S. adults age 65 and older take 10-19 medications each day, a survey indicates.
A national survey of more than 1,000 people, conducted by Kelton Research on behalf of Medco Health Solutions Inc., found 51 percent take at least five different prescription drugs regularly. However, 57 percent of those polled admit they forget to take their medications and the more drugs they use the more likely they are not to remember to take them.
Among those using five or more medications, 63 percent say they forget doses.
The ability to afford medication is the top concern among 40 percent of seniors taking five or more prescription medications daily, followed by 23 percent who worry over drug side effects and 17 percent concerned with drug interactions.
The survey reveals 60 percent of Medicare beneficiaries have taken some steps to delay reaching the donut hole, such as using generic medications, asking for free samples from doctors or using mail order to purchase prescriptions. On average, seniors surveyed estimated using mail order saved them about $540 a year and 19 percent estimated they saved at least $1,000 annually.
The survey, conducted Oct. 29 to Nov. 9, has a margin of error of 3.1 percentage points.
