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. A plain language summary of prescription opioids that explains effects on the brain and reported use. Experts recommend that older people have no more than seven alcoholic drinks per week.
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. 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.
Risks of Marijuana Use
Provides information about the scope of substance use in older adults, the risk factors for substance use disorders in… Addiction Resource is an educational platform for sharing and disseminating information about addiction and substance abuse recovery centers. Addiction Resource is not a healthcare provider, nor does it claim to offer sound medical advice to anyone. Addiction Resource does not favor or support any specific recovery center, nor do we claim to ensure the quality, validity, or effectiveness of any particular treatment center. No one should assume the information provided on Addiction Resource as authoritative and should always defer to the advice and care provided by a medical doctor. Research by Blazer and Wu carried out for the National Institutes of Health found that 2.9 million adults over 50 years of age used opioids non-medically in 2012.
The elderly are more vulnerable to the damaging effects of drugs and alcohol. Of course, slurred speech, smelling of alcohol, and change in physical appearance are all signs that a person needs help and treatment. Common symptoms include chronic, medically unfounded health complaints, confusion, hostility, memory 5 keys to going alcohol-free loss, and depression. Drug and alcohol abuse is harmful to health at any age, but never more so than in seniors. The impact of alcohol-related injuries is much more severe, the general physical effects of drugs and alcohol are more serious, and dangerous medical interactions are a distinct and scary possibility.
There is also evidence that many people continue to use both delivery systems to inhale nicotine, which is a highly addictive drug. Our writers and reviewers are experienced professionals in medicine, addiction treatment, and healthcare. AddictionResource fact-checks all the information before publishing and uses only credible and trusted sources when citing any medical data. The Verified badge on our articles is a trusted sign of the most comprehensive scientifically-based medical content.If you have any concern that our content is inaccurate or it should be updated, please let our team know at [email protected]. Interruption in social and occupation roles or other repercussions of elderly drug abuse may be less noticeable or likely to occur at this stage of life. With age, one departs from these roles naturally in the vast majority of cases, such as through social isolation due to age-group peer mortality or retirement.
The Drug Abuse Screening Test (DAST) is a modified Michigan Alcohol Screening Test (MAST) that can be applied to all substances.
Let them know they should always turn to their loved ones and a doctor if they feel like they’ve become dependent on a particular medicine or other substance. Knowledge of substance use disorders drinking age by country 2024 (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 directions.
Substance Use Disorders in Older Adults
An ever-growing body of evidence suggests that substance abuse in older adults has gone unnoticed for decades. The baby boom generation, which is currently in its 60s, faces some frighteningly real risks. Seniors take more prescription medications than younger adults, increasing the risk of misuse and harmful interactions. A community-based cross-sectional study of 3005 persons between the ages of 57 and 85 found that 36% of women and 37.1% of men used at least five prescription drugs concurrently. The study also showed that about 1 in 25 of those surveyed faced a high risk of a drug interaction.
- Substance abuse overall may increase the risk of fractures secondary to recurrent falls, memory loss, sleep disturbances, anxiety, and depression.
- Our team does their best for our readers to help them stay informed about vital healthcare decisions.
- Also, baby boomers (those born between 1946 and 1964) came of age when opinions about alcohol, marijuana, and other drugs were changing.
- Tell the doctor about the person’s substance use, including misuse of prescription and over-the-counter medicines.
- This could include new clinical trials with less restrictive inclusion criteria, use of electronic medical records and observational studies, and simulations, as well as a combination of all these approaches (Blanco et al., 2017).
Below are some warning signs that an older adult may have substance use disorder, including changes in behavior and mental abilities. But it’s important to note that these signs may not be related to substance use disorder. Many of them also can be signs of health problems that some older adults have.
The most common health problems contributing to late-onset alcoholism are depression, major surgeries, and memory loss. Typically, late-onset abusers experience fewer physical and emotional health problems than early-onset ones. According to a study by Moos published in the Journal of Alcohol Health, they comprise 25% of all elderly patients with a substance abuse problem. Older adults have not demonstrated high rates of drug or alcohol use over time compared with younger adults. It has contributed to a misconception that seniors do not abuse alcohol or drugs, and there is no such problem as alcoholism in the elderly.
Older Adults
The use of benzodiazepines, the most commonly prescribed psychiatric drugs, ranged from 15.2% to 32.0% in persons over 65 that year. Rates of benzodiazepine use are shown to be impacted by misdiagnosis, over-prescription, and misdosing. Individuals ages 65 and older have lower odds of perceived treatment need than younger individuals, and often report a lack of readiness to stop using substances as one of their primary reasons to not seek treatment (Choi et al., 2014). As a result, older adults are more likely to be referred to SUD treatment from other sources such as community social service providers than from healthcare providers (Sahker et al., 2015). If you notice any of these signs in someone you care about, talk to the person’s doctor. Tell the doctor about the person’s substance use, including misuse of prescription and over-the-counter medicines.
If a life-changing event happens to a loved one, watch for signs of substance use disorder. Family, friends, and doctors often don’t know when older people have a problem with alcohol and drugs. Once you retire, problem drinking or drug use doesn’t interfere with your job. Sometimes, people notice but ignore it, thinking it’s best for older people to keep doing what makes them happy.
More middle-aged and older adults are misusing alcohol, opioids, heroin, and marijuana. The National Institute on Drug Abuse reported in 2019 that rates of substance use had climbed in adults between alcohol withdrawal 50 and 64 years old and in those 65 years and older in the previous decade. It’s been called the “invisible epidemic.” But knowing what to look out for can help you protect yourself or a loved one.
More Are Smoking Marijuana
If an older person takes multiple medications, they can misdose by accident. It can also happen due to cognitive decline, which is a normal part of aging, or disregard for warning labels. And buprenorphine, naloxone, and methadone are used in opiate, methamphetamine, and heroin use disorders. BZD use disorder, specifically, needs to be medically supervised with a slow taper spanning at least four weeks.3 See table 2 for more information about the pharmacologic treatment. Make sure your primary doctor has a list of all the medications you take, even over-the-counter ones.
Family members should communicate with the elderly in a respectful, empathic way. Similarly, another DSM criterion – spending a lot of time on activities necessary to obtain and use a substance or recover from its effects – is irrelevant to older adults. Effects of substance use are evident after consuming relatively small amounts. It can be challenging for seniors to remember when and how much of each of their medications to take, especially when their minds are fuzzy and they take multiple drugs for relatively long periods.