Thanks to Modern Science, life expectancy has increased significantly and so the percentage of old people is rising steadily. Ageing is a natural process but now a days, this is treated as a disease. Most people find it difficult to accept this as a normal phenomena. So they get medication for each & every problem which comes under natural wear & tear.
40 percent of medicines sold in the market are consumed by the elderly. Most of the time, elderly persons take plenty of tablets every day even if they don't have any major disease. For example, one tablet for constipation, one tablet for pain in joints, one tablet for indigestion, one tablet for sleep, ear drops for hearing problem, eye drops for diminishing vision, some vitamins & tonics. After taking all these tablets where will be there any place left for food? At this age, most of the symptoms can be cured without medications. 
What they need is ATTENTION but usually their children are busy with their own work so very little interaction occurs between them. Even though the children may take care of their elderly parents' physical needs, they feel neglected and need someone to talk to & comfort them. When personal attention is lacking, parents often complain of various illnesses. Their children, without understanding the problem, take them to a doctor who prescribes a list of medicines. These medicines work for a short while and they start complaining again. Instead of giving so many drugs & making them miserable, we should try the following methods:
For constipation plenty of fluids and soft cooked vegetables are recommended.
For proper digestion, don't give them heavy food and please provide them with proper dentures for chewing.
Meals are more enjoyable when you eat with others. a senior center or place of worship may offer meals that are shared with others where their meals can be pleasing. 
Foods may seem to lose their flavor as you age. May be sense of smell, sense of taste or both have changed. Add flavor to your meals with herbs & spices.
Actually what the elderly people need is warmth & emotional attachment, spending sometime with your parents will definitely minimize their drug intake.