Patients with histories of comorbid depression should be closely monitored. When assessing or speaking to older adults about substance use, some general considerations should apply. The effects https://ecosoberhouse.com/ of tobacco and alcohol, the two most commonly used drugs, on multiple organs, are well known.
‘May’ You Sleep Better for Health and Longevity
Even if a screener is negative, the TIP consensus panel recommends that you occasionally rescreen clients. Substance use patterns can also change with life events, cognitive functioning, and mental health status. It can reveal alcohol misuse in people ages 65 and older.328 The first three AUDIT questions measure alcohol intake and are known as the AUDIT-C. Use the AUDIT or the AUDIT-C to get more detailed information from clients who use alcohol.
Older Adults and Substance Use Disorder
Explore their thoughts about changing their behaviors, such as cutting down on alcohol use or monitoring their prescription medication intake. The home environment in which a person was raised—specifically, whether the client was exposed to substance use in the household during childhood. Older clients may be more likely to talk about physical symptoms than emotional ones. Discuss with clients the benefits and possible harms of taking opioids. Sometimes referral to an outside provider (e.g., licensed psychologist, clinical social worker) is needed, depending on the expertise of the staff members in your program.
- However, research on this is mixed, and the FDA has not approved e-cigarettes as a smoking cessation aid.
- The item scores are added to produce a total score ranging from 16 to 80, with higher scores reflecting more worry.
- That is perhaps the main reason for misdiagnosis and lack of treatment of seniors – these criteria are less relevant to them.
- Have clinical assistants administer screening instruments in an interview or as part of other health screenings.
- Select an option(s) below that best describes you to get communication that matches your interests.
Illegal Drugs
Addiction Resource does not offer medical diagnosis, treatment, or advice. Only trained and licensed medical professionals can provide such services. If you or anyone you know is undergoing a severe health crisis, call a doctor or 911 immediately. Similarly, another DSM criterion – spending a lot of time on activities necessary to obtain and use a substance or recover from its effects – substance abuse in older adults is irrelevant to older adults. Effects of substance use are evident after consuming relatively small amounts.
Referral and Treatment Locators
Having physical conditions negatively affected by drinking (like high blood pressure and diabetes). For more information about alcohol screening, see the “Screening and Assessment” section in Chapter 4 of this TIP. More research should be done to evaluate the efficacy of such therapeutic modalities specifically in older adults. The changes often affect parts of the body that are used to break down medicines, such as the liver and kidneys. As you age, these organs don’t work as well, which can cause medicines to build up to high levels or stay in the body for too long.
- Closed-ended questions could make those feelings even worse and cause clients to “shut down.” On the other hand, open-ended questions can help clients become aware of and express their own experiences and motivations related to substance use.
- Importantly, those with chronic disease and high-risk behaviors, including tobacco and binge alcohol use, also had significant decreases in perceived risk 31.
- It can be challenging to know where use “crossing the line” especially as our bodies ability to process substances changes as we age.
- 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.
Substance Use Disorders in Older Adults: Overview and Future Directions
A key consideration in the treatment of older adults with SUD is that they often have co-occurring general medical illnesses (Wu and Blazer, 2014). Substance use can complicate the course and management of existing illnesses and they, in turn, can worsen the consequences of substance use and SUD. When a comorbid illness is also present, integrated treatment models that use teams of medical and mental health professionals to treat both disorders simultaneously is important. Addiction treatment facilities may offer various levels of addiction treatment for older Alcoholics Anonymous adults, including medical detox, residential treatment, or outpatient treatment settings, as necessary. Some of the medications older adults may take are mind-altering and potentially addictive substances. Older adults may be more likely to take more medications for longer, to take more than one medication or supplement at a time, and to be prescribed long-term medications than younger individuals, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) reports.
- An ever-growing body of evidence suggests that substance abuse in older adults has gone unnoticed for decades.
- Do not assume that a score below 13 means the client does not misuse cannabis.334 The CUDIT-R is available in the Chapter 3 Appendix.
- Effects of substance use are evident after consuming relatively small amounts.
- The FDA currently has approved one cannabis-derived and three cannabis-related drug products; these include cannabidiol, nabilone, and two brands of dronabinol 34.
- However, many clients can benefit from education to prevent problems before they occur.