Substance Abuse & Seniors At Risk

7/15/2016

Substance Abuse & Seniors At Risk

Read Now

The elderly aren’t typically motivated by the same factors that influence teens and young adults to use drugs. Seniors are more likely to abuse alcohol and use prescription medications inappropriately than they are to abuse illegal substances, and they usually don’t do so to seek a “high” or thrill.

The elderly are usually driven by a need or desire to manage physical or psychological symptoms – so they’ll take sleeping pills, anti-anxiety medications and prescription pain medications to do so.

This is a growing problem because as the number of degenerative diseases increase in one’s aging life, so does the number of prescription medications. Oftentimes these scripts are written by a variety of specialists and filled at different pharmacies which can lead to dangerous drug interactions. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), 3 out of 10 adults between the ages of 57 and 85 use five prescription medications or more. (Source SAMHSA webpage)

Why Are Seniors At Risk?

Consuming alcohol while on prescription medications increases fall risks
Mal-adjustment to major life changes, such as retirement
As age increases ability to metabolize alcohol decreases
Grief from death of a spouse or difficult divorce

Denial regarding the amount of alcohol consumed
Chronic pain, such as arthritis
Recovering from major surgery, such as a hip replacement
History of substance abuse

What Can You Do?

If you are an adult child of a senior (or a friend or other relative) and are concerned about the possibility of substance abuse or addiction, here’s is what you can do:

Get informed - arm yourself with knowledge and make informed decisions versus reacting. Read the Guide to Addiction Prevention for Seniors at New Beginnings Drug & Alcohol Rehab. Learn the difference between denial and dementia. It may be your elderly loved one has memory impairment and is having trouble keeping track of their medications. Don't assume they are in denial or lying to you. Get informed about memory cognitive impairment with the online resources at the Alzheimer's Association.
Get support for yourself - surround yourself with people who have walked this path. Visit Al-Anon Family Groups website, find a meeting in your area and visit. Alcohol may not be the issue with your loved one but the principles learned in Al-Anon apply equally as well.
Get involved - Ask your loved one about their medication schedule. Suggest talking with their primary care physician about the complete list of medications (and supplements), their contraindications, and their side effects. It's tricky to know just how involved to get. Not sure? That's where Al- Anon comes in. Attend meetings, talk to members, then trust your instincts.
Get support for them - If your loved one is struggling with substance abuse, then it may be time to consider a more supportive living arrangement. At Next Step we believe that "it takes a village" to support an aging loved one. Assisted Living and Board and Care communities can provide the extra measure of support that the family needs to ensure a greater level of safety for the senior. We work with families to create a plan of action.