About this resource:

This resource may be used by all staff involved with medications in community and residential aged care settings.

The information focuses on commonly prescribed medications in Australian residential aged care and their associated degree of adverse cognitive effects, primarily medications with anticholinergic and sedative actions.

How to use this resource:

This resource may be used as a reference to provide a starting point in identifying medications that may be adversely affecting a person’s cognition.

It is NOT intended to be used as a guide to prescribing decisions.

The resource provides general information only and do not claim to reflect all considerations.

As with all guidelines, the resource must be used in consideration of each individual patients’ circumstances and goals of care.

How this resource was developed:

DTA developed this resource by:

1. Identifying medications that may adversely affect cognition from academic literature and expert opinion
2. Sourcing data on the prescribing frequency of all medications in Australian residential aged care
3. Cross-referencing this information to create a table of the medications most commonly prescribed in residential aged care that may affect cognition (Medications List)