Final answer:
The precise percentage of older adults using five or more prescription medicines isn't provided, but the references imply it's substantial due to the high prevalence of chronic diseases among seniors and legislative measures like the Medicare Prescription Drug and Modernization Act.
Step-by-step explanation:
The direct answer to the question of which percentage of older adults report using five or more prescription medicines is not explicitly provided in the supplied reference information. However, we can infer from the context provided that a substantial proportion of older adults are likely to use multiple prescription medications, especially given the prevalence of chronic conditions such as arthritis, hypertension, and heart disease among this population, as reported by the Administration on Aging.
According to the provided references, older adults face various health challenges, and with medical advancements, they may need multiple medications to manage these conditions. The Medicare Prescription Drug and Modernization Act of 2003 was also designed to assist the elderly and disabled, who typically require several prescription drugs, by offering a prescription drug discount program.
While the exact percentage isn't stated in the references, we can deduce that the proportion is significant, evidenced by legislative measures to aid in prescription drug costs for the elderly. Thus, the most appropriate response to the question based on the information provided might be an educated guess or a referral to look up current data from a reliable source such as the National Center for Health Statistics.