SOLUTIONS TO SUBSTANCE USE PROBLEMS IN ELDERLY PEOPLE
Do you think that elderly people do not
use substances? According to a study, 17.3% of approximately 1,500,000 patients
who admitted to hospitals regarding to substance use problems were determined
to be people aged 50 and over. Addiction
treatment of elderly people requires a difficult process. Elderly individuals
often have many chronic diseases and they have to use many medications at the
same time so they feel the harmful effects of substance use much more. There
are three main solutions to problem of substance use disorder in the elderly;
applying treatment according to the cause, providing person-centered
care, and encouraging family and caregiver involvement.
Applying Treatment According To The Cause
First of all, the most important
solution is that applying treatment according to the cause. After learning
about the causes of substance use, treatment should be started. There may be
psychological reasons; for example, the deaths of friends in the same age group
or changes in one's role in society. In this case, when starting treatment, the
patient is treated together with the psychiatric service. If substance
use has started due to a problem in normal age-related cognitive and physical
abilities, the Geriatrics service also starts treatment. If the drugs
used due to chronic diseases have caused addiction, appropriate
treatment is applied.
Providing Person-Centered Care
In addition, another significant
solution is that providing person-centered care. American Geriatrics Society
says “A person-centered
approach to care for older adults puts at the center of the decision-making
process regarding healthcare options and treatment goals.”. Collaborating with the patient
ensures positive results. The more attention there is to elderly patients, the
more likely they are to recover.
Encouraging Family And Caregiver Involvement
The last but
not least solution is that encouraging family and caregiver
involvement. Family members should be educated about the harms of substance
use. Moreover, they should be informed about the importance of their attention,
love and support. Family members and caregivers are the most important barriers
to addiction factors.
Summary
In conclusion, solutions to the problem of substance use disorder in the elderly is to treat by to learn the source of the problem, center the elderly person, and treat it together with the family and caregiver. Treatment should be started by learning the reasons for substance use of elderly patients, and their caregivers, including their families, should be included in the treatment process.
Fatma Özmenoğlu
Resources
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK571037/
https://dergipark.org.tr/en/download/article-file/515114
http://www.lgbtmap.org/file/understanding-issues-facing-lgbt-older-adults.pdf
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