Senior Citizens. Not College Seniors. The Goal: Help Aging Population Remain Steady.
BOCA RATON, FL (BocaNewsNow.com) (Copyright © 2025 MetroDesk Media, LLC) — Florida Atlantic University’s Charles E. Schmidt School of Medicine is the recipient of a major grant to help researchers at the school find ways to keep senior citizens from falling. FAU shared this announcement with BocaNewsNow.com:
>> As America’s population ages, the risks associated with polypharmacy – taking multiple medications simultaneously – are becoming increasingly urgent. In the U.S., nearly 1 in 4 adults 65 and older falls each year, making falls the leading cause of injury-related death in this age group. These falls account for more than 36,000 deaths and more than 3 million emergency department visits annually. Many of these falls are preventable and closely linked to medication-related complications.
The problem is especially acute in South Florida, which has one of the highest concentrations of older adults in the country. A significant percentage of these individuals are on five or more medications daily, increasing their risk of harmful drug interactions, confusion, dizziness and eventually, falls. Certain medications, such as sedatives, antidepressants, antipsychotics, antihypertensives and opioids, are particularly associated with a 60% to 70% increased risk of falling. Furthermore, older adults on four or more medications are one-and-a-half times more likely to experience a fall, and each additional medication increases the risk by up to 21%.
To address this pressing issue, Florida Atlantic University’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine has received a $1 million grant from the Florida Medical Malpractice Joint Underwriting Association to launch a new initiative: the Geriatric Emergency Department Pharmacologic Harm Prevention Project (GREAT PHARM).
The GREAT PHARM project will implement a randomized controlled study involving older adults who visit emergency departments following a fall. Participants in the intervention group will receive pharmacogenomic testing to guide safer prescribing, with results shared directly with their primary care providers for medication optimization. Pharmacogenomics is a type of personalized medicine that uses your DNA to help doctors choose the safest and most effective medications for you.
Through this initiative, the FAU research team aims to implement safer, evidence-based prescribing practices in emergency settings, reduce medication-related complications, and ultimately, lower the incidence of falls and hospitalizations. <<
