The role of pharmacists in the care of older persons

According to the United Nations, older persons represent a large and growing segment of the population. Almost 700 million people are now over 60, and by 2050 there will be more people over the age of 60 than children in the world. There is an urgent need to ensure that older persons can fully participate in all spheres of social life, including access to quality health care and support services.

 Pharmacists, as accessible and trusted healthcare providers, have a key role in supporting healthy ageing and improving the quality of life of older persons. From medicines optimisation to chronic disease management, falls prevention and palliative care, pharmacists are in a unique position to contribute to integrated, person-centred care across various settings, including community pharmacies, hospitals, long-term care and home care.

This webinar series will highlight and explore the diverse roles of pharmacists in caring for older populations around the world.

Pharmacy practice in long-term and aged care

29 October 2025

Several global organisations, particularly the World Health Organization and the United Nations, have urged countries to develop Long-Term Care (LTC) systems to address the marked ageing of the population. Although LTC is not exclusively for older people (but for anyone experiencing a degree of dependency), the majority of LTC recipients are older adults. The prevalence of multimorbidity increases with age and, consequently, so does polypharmacy. Medicines are therefore among the most frequently used therapies in LTC, positioning pharmacists as essential professionals in LTC and aged care settings.

Moderator:

- Filipa Alves da Costa, Assistant Professor with Tenure, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Lisbon, Portugal

Panellists:

- Cheryl Sadowski, Professor, University of Alberta, Canada

- Niamh Lennox-Chhugani, Chief Executive and Director of Research, International Foundation for Integrated Care (IFIC), United Kingdom

- João Rafael Gonçalves, Professor and Senior Researcher, ISBE - Institute for Evidence-Based Health; iMed.ULisboa - Research Institute for Medicines, Portugal