As we age and our body change, substance abuse symptoms can be masked even to ourselves. It’s important to understand the different substances that could take hold of our loved ones. Below is a list of the most common substances abused by older adults, including the potential risks of abuse, signs of abuse or addiction, and how they might access the substances. Abuse and neglect Elder abuse takes many forms, including physical abuse, sexual abuse, financial exploitation, or neglect by a designated caregiver.
New Items from SAMHSA for Professionals Serving Older Adults
However, nearly any mental or cognitive health challenge can be comorbid with or lead to substance abuse. Maintaining recovery from substance use can be harder for older adults who have trouble understanding https://ecosoberhouse.com/ and using health information. It may also be more difficult for those with limited self-management skills (e.g., difficulty engaging in regular exercise, healthy eating, or medication adherence).
Conducting Brief Assessments and Interventions
Some may be continuing habits from their younger years, while others might turn to drugs as a way to cope with the challenges of aging. Marijuana is from the dried flower of a Cannabis sativa plant that can be either smoked or ingested by being mixed with foods (edibles). The legal availability of cannabis varies by state, from fully legal to legal for medical purposes to completely illegal. Medical marijuana is commonly prescribed to older adults because it’s believed to help treat Alzheimer’s, cancer, glaucoma, and pain, among other things that frequently affect this population.
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Helping them identify which neighbors have provided which kinds of support to them in the past. See Chapter 4 of this TIP for more information about family and caregiver involvement. This is an open-access report distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Public Domain License. You can copy, modify, substance abuse in older adults distribute and perform the work, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Stressing the importance of continuing with treatment when discussing progress with the client. If detoxification is needed, that will be the first referral indicated, whether inpatient or outpatient.
Who Is Most at Risk?
- SUD can be difficult to recognize in older adults and lead to treatment delays due to medical comorbidity, neurocognitive impairment, and functional decline (Seim et al., 2020).
- Second, use a pain rating scale to learn the intensity of your client’s pain.
- Chronic pain is a common issue among senior citizens and can seriously impact their overall quality of life.
- Their stories remind us that it’s never too late to seek help, that strength can be found in vulnerability, and that recovery is possible at any age.
- First, American Addiction Centers posits social isolation as a cause for under-recognition and underreporting of substance abuse in elderly Americans.
Exploring with clients the role adjustments they may face related to retirement; death of a spouse, other family members, friends, or a sponsor; a move to another geographic area; or taking on a parenting role for grandchildren. Entering new social roles, including affiliating with one’s age group, caring for relatives (particularly relevant for women), and grandparenting. Trying new activities (e.g., creative hobbies limited earlier by career, job, or family responsibilities). Adjusting to decreasing physical health, strength, and cognitive functioning. Developing plans for reengaging in treatment if they return to substance use before it becomes a full relapse to previous levels of use.
Alcohol and Medication Interactions
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