The American Society of Consultant Pharmacists (ASCP) honored Kristin Meyer, PH’00, associate professor of pharmacy practice, on Nov. 3 with the 2016 Armon Neel Senior Care Pharmacist Award for significantly improving the life of the senior population through the practice of senior care pharmacy.
ASCP is the only international professional society devoted to prime medication management and improved health outcomes for all older persons. Founded in 1969,
ASCP represents over 9,000 pharmacy professionals, including students, serving the unique medication needs of the senior population.
Every year, a committee of ASCP members recognizes the Armon Neel Senior Care Pharmacist Award winner as an individual who applies their knowledge of geriatric pharmacotherapy on a daily basis through the practice of senior care pharmacy and thereby significantly improving the quality of life of the senior population.
As this year’s award winner, Meyer received a complimentary registration to the annual ASCP meeting and exhibition, money to cover meeting-related expenses, and the physical award itself.
At Drake, Meyer teaches geriatric topics such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s in a variety of courses including: Self Care and Non-Prescription Products, Pharmacy Skills and Applications, Pharmacotherapeutics, and coordinates Medical Terminology for Health Sciences. She also consults at the Iowa Veterans Home in Marshalltown, where she supervises Drake pharmacy students completing geriatric specialty Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences prior to graduation from the PharmD. program.
“Many of the students I encounter in the classroom may never work closely with me in my practice site and fewer will go on to become geriatric pharmacists, but almost all of them will care for geriatric patients in their careers,” said Meyer. “I hope to instill in them an appreciation for how complex the care for the aging patient can become as they develop a combination of disease states, a long list of medications, and increased sensitivity to their effects.”
Outside of her practice, Meyer is active in the Iowa Pharmacy Association and has a leadership role in the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists.