Substance Abuse in the Elderly: 2024 Statistics & Data

substance abuse in older adults

This article briefly summarizes data on the epidemiology, service use, and clinical considerations of substance use and SUDs in older adults, and suggests future directions. Here are some examples of how to apply OARS to your discussions with older clients. The consensus panel recommends that you explore all of these dimensions of wellness as a way to help older adults sustain their recovery from substance misuse. 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.

Cocaine

Recognizing that your older clients who have experienced the death of a spouse or intimate partner are at higher risk for starting or returning to alcohol misuse or drug use. Recognizing that loss and transition are a normal part of aging and helping your older clients identify the losses and transitions specific to them. If appropriate to your role and setting, sustaining long-term supportive contact with them, with the emphasis on helping them maintain stability in recovery and better health and wellness. She stopped going to AA meetings because she feels like a failure for having a chronic medical condition that she says she should have avoided.

These findings are consistent with the results of the National Epidemiological Survey and Related Conditions-III (NESARC-III), which estimated the prevalence of AUD and DUD at 2.3 percent and .8 percent, respectively (Grant et al., 2015; Grant et al., 2016). Knowledge of substance use disorders (SUD) in adults ages 65 and older is limited. This article presents an overview of epidemiology, service use, and clinical considerations on SUD in older adults and suggests future maverick sober living directions. SUD prevalence is lower in older versus younger adults, as are treatment rates among those with SUD. SUDs may be difficult to recognize and treat in older adults due to the presence of other psychiatric and general medical disorders.

  1. A family history of substance abuse or addiction can also be a risk factor for seniors developing addiction issues.
  2. Alumni programs typically offer graduates of the same treatment facility ongoing support through organized activities, continued contact with treatment staff, and further addiction education.
  3. Perhaps the most critical tasks for older adults who misuse substances are to achieve stability and maintain ongoing recovery.
  4. Older adults in recovery from substance misuse who are widows or widowers may feel guilty about surviving and lose interest in life.
  5. Recent research has found that people addicted to cocaine in their youth may have an accelerated age-related decline in temporal lobe gray matter, which increases their risk of addiction.

It’s essential to understand why seniors are increasingly suffering from addiction so we can better prevent it in older adults. Although it has become increasingly legalized in the U.S., cannabis remains a federally illegal drug and is classified as illicit in substance use literature. As such, it is considered the most prevalent form of illicit substance use by older adults in the U.S.4 Over recent years, cannabis has become less stigmatized and more accepted by the general public. Among older adults, the perceived risk of regular cannabis use has significantly decreased from 52.0% to 42.7% from 2015 to 2019 31.

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)

It measures social isolation and focuses on the nature of older adults’ relationships with family and friends.1222 Older clients can easily complete the six-item short version (LSNS-6), a self-report questionnaire. The LSNS-6 is available via /content/bc-web/schools/ssw/sites/lubben/description.html. Explores with clients how having a chronic condition affects them and how, if not properly managed, the condition may interfere with recovery from substance misuse. Use the table in Exhibit 7.3 with clients to identify wellness activities that they find accessible, acceptable, and appropriate. Introduce the table by describing the eight dimensions of wellness and give some examples of activities in each domain. what is benzo belly Then brainstorm with clients to identify specific activities in each domain that fit their preferences and wellness goals.

substance abuse in older adults

Barriers to treatment in the older population

The most common substances abused are alcohol, prescription drugs such as opiates and benzodiazepines (BZD), and over-the-counter (OTC) medications. This increase is believed to be partially endorsed by the baby boomer generation, born between 1946 to 1964, who had significant exposure to alcohol and drugs at a younger age. Substance what does getting roofied mean abuse is difficult to recognize in the older adults, but once identified, presents its own challenges as only 18% of substance abuse treatment programs are designed for this growing population. Substance abuse overall may increase the risk of fractures secondary to recurrent falls, memory loss, sleep disturbances, anxiety, and depression.

The number of adults 55 years and older in the U.S. who entered treatment for opioid use disorder with heroin tripled between 2007 and 2017 57. Lynch et al. found that, among adult heroin users 65 years and older, 69% began using heroin before the age of 30 (typical onset) while 31% began using heroin after the age 30 (late onset) 57. Those with late-onset heroin use were more likely to use heroin more frequently and less likely to receive medication for opioid use disorder or residential treatment 57. There has also been an increasing death rate among older adults due to opioid overdose 58.

Client education is a process of information exchange over time, not a single event. Information exchange can help you build a closer relationship with clients through a deeper understanding of their own experiences with making health behavior changes. If the information has an impact and clients are ready to act, brainstorm activities that they think are fun, easy, accessible, and personally relevant. Ask clients what they think of this information and how it affects their level of interest in or readiness to engage in health promotion activities.

Medical Marijuana

Better integration of SUD and general medical treatment, and increased attention to social determinants of health, are important future directions for research and treatment of SUD in elders. Health, behavioral health service, social service, and peer recovery support providers may be part of the support network clients identify. Access to health information, a key component of health literacy, enables people to better manage their health and sustain recovery. Three key elements of preventive care for older adults in recovery from substance misuse are nutrition, exercise, and fall prevention.

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