A partnership between East Lancashire NHS Hospitals Trust and Constantia Healthcare Group has delivered life-changing results for older care home residents – including a 101-year-old woman who has undergone a “remarkable” transformation.
The project, the first of its kind in the UK, focused on reducing the number of medications given to residents in Constantia’s nine care homes across Lancashire, Yorkshire and Teesside. More than 300 residents were reviewed, and many saw improvements in their health and wellbeing after their prescriptions were adjusted.
One of those is 101-year-old Evelyn Ainsworth, who lives at Middlesbrough Grange Care Home. Before the project, she was falling regularly and often too tired to engage in daily life. After her medication was reduced, Evelyn became more alert, took part in activities, and regained her independence.
Overall, dozens of residents have benefited, with unnecessary medications reduced or stopped.
The approach was based on measuring “anticholinergic burden” (ACB) – the combined effect of medicines that can cause side effects such as confusion, memory problems, and an increased risk of falls in older people. Research has also linked a high ACB score with a greater chance of developing dementia.
In Constantia’s homes, assessments showed that 42% of residents had a score high enough to put them at greater risk, with some scoring extremely high. By reviewing these scores, staff were able to reduce medicines and improve outcomes.
Emily Whitehurst, Chief Operating Officer at Constantia Healthcare, said the findings will now be shared nationwide. The company has launched a national campaign, Find Your Evelyn, to encourage other care providers to review medications. A free toolkit is available to download at: https://constantiacarehomes.co.uk/find-your-evelyn-1/
“We are really pleased with the positive outcomes we have achieved for many of our residents, Evelyn being the perfect example,” said Emily.
“Within weeks of a medication reduction plan being put in place, she became noticeably brighter and more alert, started participating in daily activities and showing renewed interest in the world around her.
“She is a great reminder that even in our later years, the right person-centred care and clinical insight can lead to truly life-enhancing outcomes.
“By working collaboratively with clinicians and prescribers, we have an opportunity to review, challenge, and reduce unnecessary prescribing where possible and help even more people like Evelyn.”
Jane Shanahan, Senior Medicines Optimisation Care Home Pharmacy Technician at East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust, added:
“When patients are admitted to our hospital they all have an ACB score calculated so to see this now being adopted by a private social care provider like Constantia Healthcare is heartening and we would welcome this being rolled out across the entire sector so there is a truly joined-up approach.
“Falls are the number one reason why people are admitted into hospital for acute treatment, at a cost of nearly £3 billion to the NHS so if intervention can prevent people falling in their own homes or in a residential setting, this will greatly improve their outcomes and hopefully help older people to live well and for longer.”