TIP 26: Treating Substance Use Disorder in Older Adults SAMHSA Publications and Digital Products
At present, SUD treatment for older adults is based on clinical experience and on studies conducted in younger populations, as most clinical trials for SUD tend to exclude older adults (Blanco et al., 2008; Blanco et al., 2015; Okuda et al., 2010). An important future direction will be to expand the evidence-base for the treatment of older adults. 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).
If you are developing your own symptoms of depression or anxiety, think about seeking professional help for yourself. Remember that your loved one is ultimately responsible for managing his or her illness. Family, friends, and doctors often don’t know when older people have a problem with alcohol https://ecosoberhouse.com/ 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.
Risk Factors for Substance Use Disorders in Older Adults
Once a clinical trial or study ends, the researchers analyze the data to determine what the findings mean and to plan the next steps. As a participant, you should be provided information before the study starts about how long it will last, whether you will continue receiving the treatment after the trial ends (if applicable), and how the results of the research will be shared. If you have specific questions about what will happen when the trial or study ends, ask the research coordinator or staff. Rehab centers often offer specialized programs, such as addiction treatment for LGBTQ people, veterans, and young adults. For instance, a person who misuses alcohol may experience issues with balance and coordination, but these issues may also increase as we age.
- Substance abuse treatment can save families and individuals money in the long run, and many times Medicare or supplemental insurance can be used to help pay for the costs.
- With an older individual who may also have a medical or mental health condition and who may be taking multiple medications, it may be even more essential for all medical professionals to be on the same page and working together.
- This type of treatment offers a safe, structured environment with constant access to medical professionals, counselors, and other mental health professionals with expertise in treating older adults suffering from addiction.
- Adults 65 and older are particularly vulnerable to misusing prescription medications.
Learn what happens in a clinical trial and how participant safety is protected. Read and listen to testimonials from people who decided to participate in research. Whatever the motivation, when you choose to participate in a clinical trial, you become a partner in scientific discovery. Major medical breakthroughs could not happen without the generosity of clinical trial participants — young and old, healthy, or diagnosed with a disease.
Treatment Challenges For Older Adults With Substance Use Disorders
Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) involves the use of medication paired with therapy to facilitate addiction recovery. Faith-based rehab programs, such as Christian rehab programs, may benefit older adults what is the best treatment for substance abuse for older adults who wish to incorporate their spirituality into their addiction care. Faith may prove especially important for older adults in addiction treatment, as the majority of older U.S. adults are religious.
- Of course, slurred speech, smelling of alcohol, and change in physical appearance are all signs that a person needs help and treatment.
- Societal norms tend to reinforce the perception that older adults do not have SUD (Kuerbis and Sacco, 2013).
- However, older adults still experience certain risk factors that can increase their chances of substance misuse.
Overall, gather as much information as you can about the program or provider before making a decision on treatment. If you know someone who has first-hand knowledge of the program, it may help to ask about his or her personal experience. Ultimately, choosing to get treatment may be more important than the approach used, as long as the approach avoids heavy confrontation and incorporates empathy, motivational support, and a focus on changing drinking behavior. All approved medications are non-addictive and can be used alone or in combination with other forms of treatment.
Misdiagnosis and Lack of Treatment
Older adults may not recognize the need for addiction treatment, which makes an addiction intervention vital. After a successful intervention, the person will be prepared to enter treatment, and there are a variety of facilities with programs made just for older adults. Those programs may offer medical detox, residential treatment, and/or outpatient treatment, as necessary. The U.S. Census Bureau reports that, in 2012, there were 43.1 million adults over the age of 65, and this number is estimated to double by 2050, up to 83.7 million. Many of these senior citizens are members of the baby boomer generation – those born between 1946 and 1964 – who grew up in a culture of free love and drug experimentation.
- 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.
- Alcohol misuse is focused on binge and heavy drinking patterns within a community or at the population level.
- For an online assessment of your drinking pattern, go to RethinkingDrinking.niaaa.nih.gov.
- To be eligible to participate, you may need to have certain characteristics, called inclusion criteria.
- This generation may be taking illicit drug and alcohol abuse, as well as struggles with addiction, with them into their advancing age.
- Older adults may be more likely to experience mood disorders, lung and heart problems, or memory issues.
Therefore, some older adults may struggle to relate to the rest of the group, which may increase feelings of isolation rather than alleviate them. As a result, when older adults participate in group therapy, other group members may be much younger than themselves. An older adult may respond to therapy differently than research may suggest, as the existing research may not account for their experiences. However, the available research does point to some specific risks and consequences. In recent years, the U.S. government and many state governments have tightened opioid restrictions, and many doctors prescribe opioids less frequently. However, these medications are addictive, as they can also create a euphoric high.
Giving naltrexone to a client who takes opioid medication for pain may cause significant opioid withdrawal symptoms. Adults 65 and older are particularly vulnerable to misusing prescription medications. Prescription medication misuse involves taking a medication other than as prescribed, whether accidently or on purpose.
It’s a big and sometimes scary step to take, and most people would prefer to skip it altogether if they could get sober independently. Since most people can’t, treatment is usually the answer, and it’s almost always the correct answer. Education about alcohol misuse, drug use, and prescription medication misuse. Chapter 3 of this TIP offers further information about substance misuse screening measures and how to follow up with clients who screen positive as well as those who screen negative.
