Substance Use among Older Adults: An Update on Prevalence, Etiology, Assessment, and Intervention

Williams, R. E., Bosnic, N., Sweeney, C. T., Duncan, A. W., Levine, K. B., Brogan, M., & Cook, S. F. Prevalence of opioid dispensings and concurrent gastrointestinal medications in Quebec. Protective https://ecosoberhouse.com/ factors reduce risk for perpetrating or experiencing abuse and neglect. However, identifying and understanding protective factors are equally as important as researching risk factors.

Treatment is integrated and designed to address alcohol and drug addiction as well as mental health issues that often co-occur with addiction, such as depression and anxiety. A number of factors place older adults at risk for problematic substance use, including a loss of social and economic support and the presence of other life stressors such as retirement and the loss or death of a spouse (SAMHSA, 1998). Being female, being socially isolated (i.e., not having a social support system and spending a great deal of time alone), having a history of substance abuse, and having a history of mental illness are also risk factors for developing alcohol and/or drug abuse (Culberson & Ziska, 2008). In addition, assessment tools and other screening surveys for substance use may use criteria that are not applicable to older adults (for example, the impact of use on work or school performance) and may be limited in their effectiveness (SAMHSA, 2011). In recent years, the number of older adults suffering from addiction has risen.

Prescription Drug Abuse

This alarming statistic shows that substance use disorders do not discriminate and can affect any population, including older adults. Seniors take more prescription medications than younger adults, increasing the risk of misuse and harmful interactions. A community-based cross-sectional study of 3005 persons between the ages of 57 and 85 found that 36% of women and 37.1% of men used at least five prescription drugs concurrently.

• Benzodiazepines are linked with a number of risks in older adults, including falls,79 problems with thinking,80 motor vehicle accidents,81 and overdose death.82
  Exhibit 1.5 lists common benzodiazepines.
• When you call our helpline, you’ll be connected with a representative who can assist you in finding mental health and addiction treatment resources at any of the Ark Behavioral Health addiction treatment facilities.
• These sorts of injuries can pose a greater risk to health than in younger adults and coincide with a possible longer recovery time.
• Some screening tools are adaptations of instruments created for younger adults, and others have been designed for older adults.

When reading this TIP, remember that some misuse is accidental or inadvertent. For example, individuals who are unaware of a medication’s potential to cause dependence or other harms may consume more than prescribed. Other individuals may have difficulty in monitoring when they have taken their medication and take more than the recommended dose. Some individuals may become substance dependent even though they take their medication as prescribed.

Formal and Informal SUD Treatment Approaches

Good general health and social care is important for promoting older people’s health, preventing disease and managing chronic illnesses. Training all health providers substance abuse in older adults in working with issues and disorders related to ageing is therefore important. Effective, community-level primary mental health care for older people is crucial.

Studies predict that as the baby-boom generation ages, rates of alcohol and drug abuse will continue to increase through the year 2020 (Simoni-Wastila & Yang, 2006). This Research Update summarizes the current state of knowledge regarding hazardous drug use among older adults and discusses the implications of both hazardous use and dependence. When assessing or speaking to older adults about substance use, some general considerations should apply.