 Healthy
Steps
 Shingles Program
 Bucks County
Medication Disposal
Program
 Project GAMES
 Flu Clinic
 Senior Games
 Bucks County Active
Aging Expo
 Anti-bullying
 Bucks
Workshop
County
Immunization
Coalition
 Newsletter Staff
 Diversity Committee
 Overdose Prevention
and Education Advisory
 Project MEDS
A row of bottles on my shelf
Caused me to analyze myself.
One yellow pill I have to pop
Goes to my heart so it won't stop.
A little white one that I take
Goes to my hands so they won't shake.
The blue ones that I use a lot
Tell me I'm happy when I'm not.
The purple pill goes to my brain
and tells me that I have no pain.
The capsules tell me not to wheeze
Or cough or choke or even sneeze.
The red ones, smallest of them all
Go to my blood so I won't fall.
The orange ones, very big and bright
Prevent my leg cramps in the night.
Such an array of brilliant pills
Helping to cure all kinds of ills
But what I'd really like to know...........
Is what tells each one where to go!
-Author Unknown
A drug is a chemical substance that produces a
physical, mental, emotional or behavioral
change in the person using it.
Number of Persons Age 60+ in
Bucks County 1990-2020
Number of Persons Age 60+ in Bucks County 1990-2020
180,000
160,000
140,000
120,000
100,000
Male
Female
80,000
Total
60,000
40,000
20,000
0
1990
1990
Male:
Female:
Total:
35,699
47,385
83,084
2000
Male:
Female:
Total:
2000
40,126
55,605
95,731
2010
2010
Male:
Female:
Total:
50,993
70,175
121,168
2020
2020
Male:
Female:
Total:
67,764
88,842
156,606
By the Spring of 1988, it had
become apparent that
medication misuse among the
elderly was responsible for the
deaths and disabilities of many
and had in fact, taken on the
proportions of a national
tragedy.
A


meeting was held between:
Bonnie Keller (Volunteer Coordinator for Bucks County
RSVP)
Rosemary Adiletto (Prevention Program Supervisor for
Bucks County Drug and Alcohol Commission)
 Through
negotiation, a partnership was
formed between BCAAA, BCDAC and RSVP.
 Provide
training location
 Volunteer
Centers
recruitment through Senior
 Training
costs
 Program
staff
 Provide
on-going technical assistance
 Primary
Volunteer Recruitment
 Distribute
 Training
 Provide
recruitment materials
Staff
staff, volunteer and presenters travel
costs.
 Provide
on-going technical assistance
 Program
development
 Implementation
and maintenance
responsibilities
 Act
as the point of call for presentation
appointments
 On-going
coordination of the project

In October 1988, 14 volunteers were trained as peer presenters

By the end of the first year 30 presentations reached more than
2500 older adults

Volunteers had monthly meetings

Volunteers bonded through group activities, picnics and holiday
parties

In 1991, selected by President George Bush as first runners-up for
the National Volunteer Action Award

Has earned the endorsement of both the Bucks County Medical
Society and the Bucks County Pharmaceutical Association
MONTH 2
Develop recruitment
materials and
training plan,
identify training site
and dates.
MONTH 1
Develop agreement,
recruitment process
and presentation
syllabus
MONTH 3
Strategize program
marketing, begin
recruitment and
program
orientation,
identify trainers.
MONTH 6
Volunteers begin
doing presentations
MONTH 4
Arrange for training
lunch and
transportation, gather
training materials,
develop and implement
program marketing
MONTH 5
Develop
presentation
scheduling
procedure, begin
volunteer training
and schedule
presentations
 To
make older adults aware of issues related
to the incorrect use of prescribed and overthe-counter medications.
 To make older adults aware of issues related
to alcohol misuse and abuse by the elderly
population.
 To provide volunteers with the knowledge
and skills needed to help them raise
awareness.
 To utilize the skills of volunteers in an effort
to educate older adults.



BCAAA – coordinates volunteers, volunteer recruitment,
trainings, presentations, marketing, materials and
meetings. Submits volunteer hours to RSVP and many
reports to BCDAC.
BCDAC – funds the program, asks me for many reports.
RSVP – Assists in volunteer recruitment.

Public speaking

Communication Skills

Neat appearance

Resourcefulness (the ability to answer questions)

Self-motivation (the ability to work
independently)

People oriented (enjoys working with people)
 RSVP
Coordinator
 RSVP database
 Mass mailing
 PSA
 Announcements in the agency newsletter
 Flyers at the senior centers
 Senior health expos
 Project MEDS presentations
 www.volunteermatch.org
 Project MEDS volunteers
 Opening
comments by BCAAA Director
 The history and collaboration of Project MEDS
(BCAAA, BCDAC, RSVP)
 The Need for Project MEDS
 A Project MEDS presentation
 Presentation tips and options
 Materials and handouts
 HIPPA and Confidentiality, BCAAA overview
 Reports and expense forms
 “The
Face of Older Adults, Drugs,
Medications and Alcohol” given by guest
speaker Marge Hanna (Executive Director for
BCDAC)
 Guest Speaker – Doctor certified in Internal
Medicine and Geriatrics
 Guest Speaker – Registered Pharmacist
 Mentor meeting
 Presentation scheduling
 Project
MEDS volunteers do not represent
themselves as medical professionals and are
not associated with the pharmaceutical
industry.
 Volunteers should never give medical advice
 Volunteers should never give personal
opinions
 Volunteers should stick to the approved
presentation script
 PSA
 Announcements
in the agency newsletter
 The senior centers
 Senior health expos
 Project MEDS presentations
 Project MEDS volunteers
 Other programs
 Return visits
 Brochures
 55+
Communities
 Church Groups
 Adult Daycare
 Senior Expos
 Senior Centers Women's/Men's Groups
 Senior Housing
 Retirement Communities
 Home Health Care Agencies
 Support Groups
 Welcome
and introductions
 Ask for volunteers to participate in the pre
and post test
 Fun attention getter: The Pill Poem or Phyllis
Feelgood
 Deliver script
 Ask for questions or comments
 Ask everyone to fill out a presenter’s
evaluations form
 Hand out bag with information and giveaways








The patient’s responsibility for tracking current
medications, both prescribed and over-the-counter.
Questions to ask their health care professionals.
The importance of keeping and sharing complete
personal medical histories with their health care
professionals.
The need to dispose of unneeded medications.
The dangers of sharing medications.
Why older adults have a higher risk of adverse drug
reactions.
The dangers of mixing alcohol and medications.
Available resources.
BUCKS COUNTY MEDICATION DISPOSAL
Started as a collaboration between BCAAA, BCDAC,
Bucks Promise for Youth & Communities.
 Now includes the County Detectives, Dept of
Health, Children & Youth, Medical Reserve Corps, 6
county coalitions.
 Since September 2010 we’ve had 4 countywide
collections.
 We’ve collected more than 4 tons of medication.
 We have 18 permanent collection boxes.
 We hand out 250,000 bag stuffers per collection
 We offer homebound residents a front door pick-up.
 We offer senior housing a collection in their foyer.
 I have collections at our senior center flu clinics
 I have collections at our Active Aging Expo

 Address
the need for proper medication
disposal.
 Bring
awareness to environmental concerns,
youth overdose and senior overdose and
medication sharing.
 Volunteer
at collection sites.
 Time
 Funding
 Volunteers
 Program
Events
 Improving
the Program