For example, some people with alcohol use disorders may occasionally binge drink, while others drink daily. Provides information about the scope of substance use in older adults, the risk factors for substance use disorders in… Treatment planning includes preparing to provide treatment or refer to the most appropriate treatment provider. You should start with treatment planning, and then either give the treatment or refer to an outside provider if your program cannot provide the services or level of care the client needs.
Treating Substance Use Disorder in Older Adults: Updated 2020 Internet.
- One Gallup survey found that 65% of 18 to 34-year-olds say alcohol is bad for your health compared to 39% of those 55 and older.
- This questionnaire includes a checklist of symptoms and open-ended questions about alcohol use.331 A score of 1 or higher suggests problem alcohol use.
- Other times it can be more severe and require professional help such as inpatient treatment or medication to recover.
- The TIP consensus panel recommends performing universal screening during health visits.
Conduct a full assessment for any client whose screening suggests moderate-to-severe substance misuse. Full assessments gather not just substance-related information, but information about overall functioning and health (Exhibit 3.8). This information will help you differentiate among substance misuse, CODs, physical conditions common in older populations, and symptoms of normal aging. Common physical conditions and symptoms of normal aging that can be confused for substance misuse include low energy, memory changes, sleep problems, and decreased appetite.
Barriers to treatment in the older population
Substance use disorders are characterized by intense, uncontrollable cravings for drugs and compulsive drug-seeking behaviors – even in the face of devastating consequences. Substance use can result in psychological and physical dependence on drugs or alcohol. This type of disorder is particularly concerning when it affects seniors, as they can be especially vulnerable to the consequences of drug addiction. Use of illegal drugs like cocaine and heroin (and marijuana, in some states) is much lower in people 50 and up than in younger people. But it’s more common among this age group in the U.S. than almost anywhere else.
Expert Insights on Addiction and Substance Abuse Prevention for Seniors
Check for possible drug-drug interactions with clients’ other medications. Using tailored screening and assessment measures that were made specifically for older adults or are approved for use with them. Questions that can be answered with a simple “yes” or “no” can seem harsh or judgmental.
When examining SUD treatment admissions, patients were mostly referred by an individual (patient or other non-provider) or the criminal justice system. Healthcare providers accounted for only 12.8% of referrals for older adults to substance abuse treatment programs, perhaps suggesting that there is room for improvement in the screening and discussion of SUDs in older adults 6. While office assessment through history taking might elicit discussion of substance use, this is limited by patient discomfort with reporting stigmatized behavior; however, barriers to more formal screening include lack of time and challenges integrating screening into clinic workflow 7. Unfortunately, chronic pain can also increase older adults’ risks of developing substance misuse issues. As they age, people may experience more aches and pains and seek out medications – both prescription and over-the-counter – to relieve their discomfort.
- Find more resources from other centers including the Center of Excellence on LGBTQ+ Behavioral Health Equity, the Suicide Prevention Resource Center, the E4 Center of Excellence for Behavioral Health Disparities in Aging, and more.
- If your program cannot offer treatment for SUDs, refer your clients to counseling and tailored psychosocial supports that have the capacity to meet older adults’ unique needs.
- Between 2000 and 2017, older adults showed greater increases in proportions admitted for cocaine/crack relative to younger adults 49.
- Older adults have higher rates of chronic pain, and opioid prescription fill rates were disproportionately higher among adults aged 65 years or older from 2008–2018 55.
- Once you retire, problem drinking or drug use doesn’t interfere with your job.
Trained Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN) staff reviewed medical records (charts) of emergency department (ED) visits on an ongoing basis at a nationally representative sample of hospitals to find drug-related ED visits that met the DAWN case criteria. The estimates presented in this report were based on the drug-related visits made by patients aged 65 or older found through a review of 5.2 million charts for ED substance abuse in older adults visits occurring in calendar year 2011 in 233 hospitals. Hand-in-hand with prescription drug misuse is the prevalence of chronic pain in aging populations. Chronic pain is a common issue among senior citizens and can seriously impact their overall quality of life. It is possible to have a mild substance use disorder where you might still be able to control it on your own with family support or counseling. Other times it can be more severe and require professional help such as inpatient treatment or medication to recover.
- Further, SeniorLiving.org shall not be liable for any informational error or for any action taken in reliance on information contained herein.
- The remaining 644,547 ED visits by older adults primarily involved adverse reactions to and accidental ingestion of drugs.
- Substance abuse, particularly of alcohol and prescription drugs, among adults 60 and older is one of the fastest growing health problems facing the country.
- Remember that a wide range of providers in many different settings can be involved in helping to identify, screen, and assess older clients for substance misuse.
Links to NCBI Databases
You should refer to the level of care that is the least intense yet will address all the client’s needs. Screen and assess clients for factors that increase the odds of misuse and addiction. All three of these tools (the IPT-R, the revised Faces Pain Scale, and VDS instruments) are easy to use and easy for older clients to understand. Assessment and treatment planning should consider not just how a client rates on a pain scale but also his or her level of functioning in the presence of pain. Guide treatment planning, including giving clients the right level of care in the right setting. However, even more follow-up sessions may be needed depending on the setting, the severity of the substance misuse, and clients’ responses.
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Further, SeniorLiving.org shall not be liable for any informational error or for any action taken in reliance on information contained herein. Experts recommend that older people have no more than seven alcoholic drinks per week. Official websites use .govA .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, you may want to assess the client for fall risk. Remember the importance of helping clients feel safe physically and emotionally. In addition, ask about periods following treatment where clients were successful (e.g., what worked for them).
Substance use may have important health impacts, especially among older adults who are at higher risk for chronic diseases and who often take more medications than younger adults. Remember that not every addiction treatment provider is qualified to make a mental disorder diagnosis. If https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/alcohol-misuse-long-term-effects-of-alcohol-on-the-body/ you do not have the training and licensure to make diagnoses, send the client to another provider in your program who can.
