Senior citizens often have to contend with a wide range of
physical, mental, and emotional ailments. Unfortunately, these challenges
sometimes include substance abuse and chemical dependency. Substance use
disorders affect nearly one
million Americans
aged 65 or older.
Whether you serve as a caregiver for an elderly loved one or
simply feel concern for that person's well-being, it pays to understand the
issue of addiction in seniors, as well as the potential approaches to treatment
of this common challenge. Check out the answers to these frequently asked
questions.
Why Do Seniors Face Elevated Risks for Addiction?
Seniors can easily develop a dependency on the same drugs
they rely on for chronic pain. Chronic pain disorders such as arthritis
frequently plague older people. Severe chronic pain may prompt doctors to
prescribe opioid medications, which can prove highly addictive and may demand
ever-increasing doses.
Benzodiazepines also present an addiction risk for the
geriatric population. Seniors may depend on these prescription drugs to cope
with insomnia, chronic pain, or anxiety disorders. The number of seniors
addicted to these drugs continues to rise from one year to the next.
Not every drug that poses addiction risk for seniors comes
with a doctor's prescription. Many seniors abuse or develop a dependence on
marijuana, regardless of whether a doctor prescribed it for medical uses.
However, alcohol remains the commonly abused addictive substance among seniors.
Seniors may abuse non-prescription substances in an effort
to self-medicate either physical or emotional pain. Emotional triggers that may
cause seniors to abuse alcohol and drugs include loneliness, the loss of a
spouse, the stress of relocation to a nursing home, post-retirement boredom,
and financial pressures.
What Impact Do Drugs and Alcohol Have on Senior Health?
As harmful as drugs and alcohol can prove for individuals of
any age, these substances can create even more trouble for seniors. Beyond the
age of 65, even a healthy body starts to lose its ability to metabolize
substances quickly and easily. This impairment can permit substances to
accumulate in dangerous amounts.
Even at lower levels, alcohol and drugs can have exaggerated
effects on seniors' bodies and brains. These substances may make preexisting
medical problems worse, including heart disease, lung function problems, mood
disorders, or cognitive issues such as dementia.
How Can You Recognize Possible Substance Abuse in
Seniors?
You may find it difficult to tell the difference between the
signs of a substance abuse problem and other health conditions or age-related
limitations affecting a senior loved one. For example, mental confusion may indicate
drug abuse or simple dementia, while bruises may point toward intoxication or
age-related balance problems.
Despite these ambiguities, sudden or extreme changes in your
senior loved one's health or behavior may signal a chemical abuse problem.
Examples might include intermittent memory loss, insistence on drinking or
taking medication in privacy, a sudden lack of interest in favorite activities,
and frequent requests for prescription refills.
What Treatment Strategies Can Prove Helpful for Addicted
Seniors?
Fortunately, the same established addiction treatment
strategies that work for the general population can also work well for seniors.
In addition to traditional twelve-step treatment, a senior's treatment program
may include individual, group, and vocational therapy, as well as support for
other age-related problems that require attention.
One possible difference between addiction treatment for
seniors and the same treatment for other individuals lies in the length and
nature of the patient's stay. Seniors seem to enjoy better results from a more
intensive, long-term approach to treatment, as opposed to short-term or
outpatient care.
If an older loved one in your life appears to struggle with
substance abuse or addiction, Oak Arbor can provide the necessary diagnosis and
treatment options to turn that person's life and health around. Contact us
today for more
answers to your questions or to schedule a preliminary consultation.
