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Periodically ask a healthcare provider to check your medications. This can ensure the least harm and most benefit overall, and reduce drugs taken and interactions in polypharmacy.

Online drug interaction checkers are useful, but have some problems with identifying adverse effects. Always talk to a healthcare provider to confirm your risk for side effects.

Aging may change the effects and risk profile of different drugs. Polypharmacy may increase, decrease, or cancel effects of different drugs, foods, and supplements.

Many older Canadians are taking multiple medications (polypharmacy) to manage their health conditions. Taking 5 or more medications can increase your risk of drug interactions.

Many older adults are lonely and this could affect their overall health. Changing negative or wrong perceptions about oneself and others is a solution to loneliness.

Simple interventions (family visits, familiar objects, clocks) may help to prevent or recover from acute delirium in hospital. Recognize confusion or agitation and inform staff.

Social isolation should be considered a health risk. Many older adults are socially isolated and this should be of concern to all of us. We need more research on the best way to deal with it.

If you have 3 or more health conditions, ask your family doctor about better ways to coordinate your care with other health professionals, and how you might decrease important health risks or improve key functional activities.

There are many effective treatments for incontinence, so talk to your health professional, and stop suffering in isolation.