Essay on Substance Abuse and the Elderly

Unfortunately, elderly populations seem to be far more displaced in our society than most of us are aware. Concerns of who or how they will be cared for when they can no longer care for themselves properly are always highly stressed, but drug abuse and misuse are

Substance abuse in the elderly exists just as in any other population. Many seniors develop substance abuse problems due to circumstances or situations due to the aging process. A report by the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment/Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration indicates that 17% of adults age 60 and older are affected by alcohol abuse and abuse of legal drugs.

We have witnessed enormous advances in western medicine and with it we’ve seen greater longevity among America’s elder population. The number of Americans age 65 or older are living longer, in more comfort and in better health than ever before. However, not all American elders are living in good health. As our aging baby boomers live longer, a substantial and growing percentage of older adults misuse alcohol, prescription drugs, or other substances (Bartel, Blow, Brockmann, 2005). In turn, substance abuse among the elder is generating major health concerns and a rapid need for prevention methods. Substance abuse among the elderly is a concealed epidemic in the United States. Alcohol and substance abuse often go unnoticed, unreported, and therefore, untreated in the elderly (Wagenaar, Mickus, & Wilson, 2001). It is estimated that substance abuse issues among America’s elder population will dramatically increase, because while the nation’s population will increase 18%, the proportion of the population 65 and older will increase 78% by the year 2030 (Johnson & Sung, 2009).

Optimizing drug therapy is an essential part of caring for an older person. The process of prescribing a medication is complex and includes: deciding that a drug is indicated, choosing the best drug, determining a dose and schedule appropriate for the patient's physiologic status, monitoring for effectiveness and toxicity, educating the patient about expected side effects, and indications for seeking consultation. Multiple factors contribute to the appropriateness and overall quality of drug prescribing. These include avoidance of inappropriate medications, appropriate use of indicated medications, monitoring for side effects and drug levels, avoidance of drug-drug interactions, and involvement of the patient and integration of patient values.

In and around most large cities in America, the rising substance abuse epidemic has brought about a renewed interested in determining the root cause of substance abuse, the effects of substance abuse on individuals and societies, and the substance abuse treatment modalities that achieve the best outcomes. In reviewing the current research on substance abuse there seems to be no one clear cause of substance abuse disorders, although there is strong evidence that a number of life circumstances may predispose an individual to a substance abuse disorder, as well as a number of protective factors that may reduce an individual’s risk of developing a substance abuse disorder. One important risk factor that is commonly associated with substance

People are often surprised to learn that elderly people abuse drugs and alcohol at extremely high rates. In fact, elderly substance abuse has become something of an unknown epidemic in the country, impacting an ever-increasing number of people. Sadly, this problem is often ignored or misunderstood and elderly people with addictions rarely get the help they need.

One of the first lines of defense in helping the elderly who are struggling with substance abuse is assisting them in recognizing there is a problem and correctly screening for substance abuse (Han et al., 2009). This primary role of the physician is essential to the treatment of the older patient’s medical needs. The medical community plays an important role in the lives of older people. Physicians prescribe the medications which a person might possibly abuse. It is the responsibility of the physician to identify and address a patient’s possible problems with substance abuse.

As established by experts in the field, prescription drug abuse by older adults is known presently to be worsening in intensity. The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, in a publication on their website entitled “Seniors and Drugs,” identifies the

Alcohol and prescription medication abuse among those aged 60 years and older is a growing epidemic (Alpert, 2014). Approximately 2.5 million older adults have a substance abuse disorder (Alpert, 2014). The numbers of those affected are rising and it is projected to double by 2020 (Alpert, 2014). Alcohol abuse among the older adult population is a heterogeneous problem that occurs over a broad socioeconomic spectrum. Moderate alcohol and drug consumption may have a profound impact because of the physiological and pharmacologic changes that are associated with aging (Alpert, 2014).

In today's modern society alcohol addiction and alcohol abuse has become one of the most complex, life-threatening issues. Most depressed individuals usually indulge themselves in bars or pubs with their alcohols to escape from their stressful life. It has become increasingly alarming how alcohol does not only attract the adults, but also teenagers these days. "Research has shown that approximately 14 million Americans (7.4%) of the population meet the diagnostic criteria for alcohol abuse or alcoholism" ("Facts about Alcohol"). Alcohol addicts may encounter social impact such as loss of respect from others who may see the problem as self- inflictive and easily avoided. Repeated use of alcohol over a period of time can result in

The majority of seniors over the age of 65 take multiple medications. In fact, the average senior takes between 8 and13 medications every day. According to the National Institute for Health, over 50 percent of seniors do not take their medication as prescribed. Adding to problems with medication, the tiny print on bottles and data sheets makes it hard for seniors with deteriorating eyesight to read. Cognitive issues and memory problems further complicate issues. As a result, mistakes with medication are one of the top reasons seniors end up in the emergency room and they are the primary reason seniors are readmitted to the hospital after a discharge.

This article is about the increase of alcohol abuse in older adults. Although the number of

Falstein who is an elderly patient that was prescribed two different benzodiazepines by the same doctor. Polypharmacy is one of the major risk factors for drug-drug interactions and adverse reactions associated with medication use. Yet the article states that the “use of the drugs has risen among older people, even though they are particularly vulnerable to the drugs’ ill effects.” This does not come as a surprise when considering the pharmacy curriculum and how medical professionals are taught to approach patient care (and the assumed similar physician curriculum). The current pharmacy curriculum promotes the use of disease state guidelines that map out which medications to prescribe and when. Pre-conventional pharmacists and physicians will strictly follow the guidelines and the pattern of prescribing more medications when more problems arise in a patient. The course I mentioned earlier, geriatric pharmacotherapy, was the one of the only courses that stressed the importance of de-prescribing and when de-prescribing should be considered in elderly patients. This course was an elective not required by the college leaving a majority of student without special instruction on the geriatric

Consuming alcoholic beverages affects almost every cell, organ, and tissue in the body. This is especially true for seniors who are especially vulnerable to its toxic effects. It is common for elderly people to have impaired immunity and metabolism. Alcohol abuse is more likely to create new health problems or aggravate some of the health conditions that they already have (Nadkarni, Acosta, Rodriguez, Prince, & Ferri, 2011). Older people may not realize that their current pattern of heavy drinking may be detrimental or dangerous because even low levels of alcohol consumption can cause a potential health risk especially in elderly people (Nadkarni, Acosta, Rodriguez, Prince, & Ferri, 2011). Also, alcohol abuse can be complicated when seniors take prescription and over-the-counter medications which when combined can frequently result in major adverse reactions. Ulcers, malnutrition, diabetes, nephron loss, osteoarthritis and loss of bone density, obesity, and nutritional deficiencies are just a few of the physical effects of alcohol abuse in older people (Dawoodi & De Sousa, 2012). Alcohol abuse by elderly individuals for 5 years or more increases the risk of having psychiatric problems such as dementia, excluding Alzheimer’s disease (Nadkarni, Acosta, Rodriguez, Prince, & Ferri, 2011). But, the most common health problem associated with alcoholism is liver toxicity which occurs when the liver is no longer able to metabolize ethanol (Dawoodi & De Sousa, 2012). Alcohol abuse

As I start my Human Services degree, I have become acutely aware of the issues that face the community that I serve in my current position at the Soldier and Family Assistance Center. I have also seen how these issues can carry over into my personal life. In this paper, I will discuss Substance Abuse (alcohol) and how it is becoming a prevalent issue in our communities and our way of life. Substance Abuse has become a major problem, as we discovered that there is a connection between substance abuse, child neglect and abuse, and poverty rates. For many years, concerns about substance abuse has been prevalent in communities and at many levels of government.