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Date: November 22, 2024 Fri
Time: 11:53 am
Time: 11:53 am
Results for elderly
2 results foundAuthor: DrugScope Title: It's About Time: Tackling substance misuse in older people Summary: In general, alcohol use declines with age and use of illicit drugs is less common in older people than in their younger counterparts. However, as the Royal College of Psychiatrists highlighted in its 2011 report Our invisible addicts, the number of older people with substance use problems is increasing rapidly. The European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction has estimated that the number of older people with substance use problems or requiring treatment for substance misuse will more than double between 2001 and 2020. In spite of this, older people with substance use problems have historically been a marginalised group, whose particular needs have not been well met. It's about time: Tackling substance misuse in older people brings together information about older people and substance misuse - including use of alcohol, illicit drugs and prescribed and over-the-counter medications - from a range of sources, including published research and reports, service visits and a roundtable attended by academics, policy specialists, practitioners and former service users. In doing so, it aims to identify some of the key issues and problems in this area, and makes strategic and policy recommendations for change, as well as good practice recommendations for substance misuse and older people's services. Key recommendations include: - A range of interventions are needed for older people with substance use problems, from age-appropriate, non-time limited treatment and support for those who are drug and/or alcohol dependent, to brief interventions for those who are drinking at risk. Support for those with problems with prescription and/or over-the-counter medications also needs to be available. - Many of the services we visited during the research process for the briefing were delivering positive outcomes but faced a discontinuation of their funding. Independent and statutory funders and commissioners need to recognise the importance of services and interventions for older people and to consider options for sustainable funding going forward, particularly as research indicates increased prevalence and need. - Substance misuse services can implement a range of measures to help ensure the accessibility and relevance of services for older people, including specific groups or times for older people, satellite services operating out of community provision aimed specifically at older people - for instance, local support groups - and home visits. - Older people with substance misuse problems may come into contact with a number of health and social care professionals, including those working in primary care settings, older people's mental health services, residential services, and for social care providers. With particular reference to alcohol, these professionals should be trained to deliver brief interventions (IBA) and 'sensible drinking' advice to those who are not dependent, but are drinking at risk. Links with specialist support should be developed for referral of those with serious substance misuse problems. Details: London: DrugScope, 2014. 24p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 3, 2014 at: http://www.drugscope.org.uk/Resources/Drugscope/Documents/PDF/Policy/ItsAboutTimeWeb.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.drugscope.org.uk/Resources/Drugscope/Documents/PDF/Policy/ItsAboutTimeWeb.pdf Shelf Number: 132620 Keywords: AlcoholismDrug Abuse and AddictionDrug Abuse TreatmentElderlySubstance Abuse |
Author: Atkinson, Colin Title: Service responses for older high-risk drug users: a literature review Summary: Background and aims of the report This report identifies and reviews the academic literature on service responses for older high-risk drug users. It aims to identify the key literature on the older high-risk drug user, distil from this literature the main characteristics of this population and their needs, and provide an account of the service responses to these individuals to inform planning and policy for Scotland's older drug using population. Who is the older drug user? Following convention, this review defines the older drug user as one who is 35 years old or over; however, much research in this area focuses on those 50 years and over. The characteristics and trajectories of older high-risk drug users demonstrate the distinctiveness of this group from their younger counterparts. Even within this older population, there is difference and diversity in experiences of drug use and the ability to navigate towards and achieve recovery. Social isolation, shame and stigma Social isolation and exclusion, shame and stigma are factors that older high-risk drug users may experience more frequently or acutely than younger counterparts, raising particular challenges and barriers to accessing service responses. Need for age specific services There is a requirement to specifically design or adapt services – either existing or bespoke – in order to effectively engage with older high-risk drug users. Co-presence of physical and mental health issues Older high-risk drug users may have distinct mental health issues compared to younger drug users, which include having had, generally, longer-term experience of such issues, multiple forms of mental ill-health and negative experiences of services that create distinct obstacles for engaging this group. Additionally, the use of illicit substances is also likely to have an adverse impact on their physical health. Such issues must be considered when devising and delivering effective service responses to tackle the range of issues in a holistic manner. Complexity of needs and characteristics of older drug users Older drug users have accumulated a range of health, social, economic challenges and patterns of behaviour and coping that constitute them as a highly complex group. The accurate diagnosis of older high-risk drug use, and the various health issues associated with this, will depend upon increased awareness and training of professionals and practitioners to support older high-risk drug users. Evidence gaps and implications for policy and practice The following may be required in order to inform future policy responses to older high-risk drug users: There are very few models of effective service responses – if any – that can be unproblematically transposed to the Scottish context in their existing form. Whilst an awareness of the heterogeneity of older high-risk drug users has emerged, further work is required to fully understand the intersecting issues of gender, geography, social class, education and other social factors that may be important in understanding the needs of this population and their engagement with treatment and service responses. The issue of early versus late onset of high-risk drug use in older people also remains unclear. Further evidence of this in the Scottish context would be useful and help to inform evidence-based responses. The evidence on the awareness of the range of professionals and practitioners on the issue of older high-risk drug users and the challenges they face remains limited, and further work on this in the Scottish context would be welcome. Understanding the views and perspectives of professionals and practitioners who engage with such groups will be invaluable to devising effective and bespoke services to meet the needs of older high-risk drug users. Details: Edinburgh: Scottish Centre for Crime & Justice Review, 2016. 47p. Source: Internet Resource: Report no. 06/2016: Accessed March 18, 2017 at: http://www.sccjr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SCCJR-Report-062016.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.sccjr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SCCJR-Report-062016.pdf Shelf Number: 144501 Keywords: Drug Abuse and Addiction Drug Abuse Treatment ElderlySubstance Abuse Substance Abuse Treatment |