Elderly Big Island residents will be able to get advice on medications at the College of Pharmacy, University of Hawaii-Hilo, starting in September under a new program at the county's Aging and Disability Resource Center. It is part of a project called the Pacific Island Geriatric Education Center, which includes the UH-Hilo nursing program.

Federal grants of $22,000 each to the pharmacy school and nursing program from the Health Resource Services Administration will promote geriatric health care with community projects, the university said. The nursing program used the money for a geriatrics conference.