Lunchtime Seminar - Supporting people living with frailty and their medicines management

Understanding frailty, polypharmacy and practical support at home

For the social care workforce supporting people in their own homes, and administering medicines safely and responsibly, can be a major part of the day. For those people living with frailty, medication safety can be challenging and for those supporting them it is important to know best practice.

On 11 December 2026, Carmel Darcy, Consultant Pharmacist for Older People at the Western Health and Social Care Trust, will present a Lunchtime Seminar on this important topic.

People living with frailty are often prescribed several medications at once. Possible side effects, confusion about what medicines to take and how often, are significant risks for people who receive support and those who care for them.

Social care practitioners working on the frontline often spot these risks first and play an important role in raising concerns when something does not seem right.

This Lunchtime Seminar is for anyone with an interest in supporting people living with frailty, whether you work or study in health, social work, social care or support services.

The seminar will help to:

• Define frailty and recognise how it affects daily life.
• Understand what polypharmacy is and why it matters for people living with frailty.
• Recognise common signs that medicines may be causing problems.
• Appreciate the burden that medicines and treatment routines can place on individuals and families.
• Describe practical ways to support people to manage their medicines safely at home.
• Understand the social care practitioner’s important role in identifying medicine-related concerns.

Come along, bring your questions and leave with practical ideas you can use in your day to day work.