 Failure of older adults to take medications properly is estimated to be a factor in more than a quarter of emergency room visits and 10 percent of nursing home admissions, with a total cost of over 25 billion annually. It has been estimated that 10 percent of adverse drug events may be attributed to communication failure between the provider and patient. Lack of adherence to prescription medication protocols and adverse self-medication practices can result in drug interactions that can be fatal. In a health environment that promotes polypharmacy for older adults, a group that is less well able to see, hear, and understand medical information than the general population, a need exists to educate both older adults and their providers about the dangers of adverse drug interactions arising from self-medication. 