The proportion of older people in the
population is increasing rapidly, as is the number of older people
with substance use problems – such that substance misuse in older
people is now a growing public health problem, with effects on
health and social care services, and there is now a pressing need
to address this.
A lack of awareness means that GPs and other
healthcare professionals often overlook or discount the signs when
an older person has a problem. This report highlights the scale of
substance misuse in older people. It makes a series of key
recommendations to influence the direction of future healthcare
strategies.
Contents
- Executive summary and recommendations
- Introduction
- Risk factors
- Effects and complications
- Assessment of substance misuse in older
people
- Treatment of addiction
- Service models: implications for service
development
Appendix 1: Assessment of substance misuse in
older people
Appendix 2: Guidance for pharmacological
treatment of substance problems in older people
Appendix 3: Model alcohol misuse services for
older people
Appendix 4: Online resources