Substance Use Disorders: Issues for Older Adults : Webinar
Thu, Aug 04
|Webinar
This 2 ½ hour webinar is directed to all individuals working with older adults in the community. “Substance Use Disorders: Issues in Older Adults” is presented at an intermediate level but due to the importance of the subject matter questions will be addressed and answered to include all levels.


Time & Location
Aug 04, 2022, 12:00 PM – 2:30 PM EDT
Webinar
About the Event
Speaker: Linda Shumaker, Optimizing Aging LLC
There has been a misconception that older adults do not use or abuse mood-altering
substances. Research has now shown that substance use among older adults has
been under-identified for decades. With “baby boomers” and the growing issues
with prescription medication, there is a new urgency to address the education,
identification, and treatment of substance-use disorders among older adults. This
program will introduce participants to the specific substances that are abused in the
older adult population including illicit drugs, prescription drugs and alcohol.
Treatment interventions, evidenced-based practices and older adult specific
outreach programs will be reviewed. It is hoped that as communities recognize this
growing concern, and addressing these issues will become a priority.
This 2 ½ hour webinar is directed to all individuals working with older adults in the
community. “Substance Use Disorders: Issues in Older Adults” is presented at an
intermediate level but due to the importance of the subject matter questions will be
addressed and answered to include all levels of community participation.
OBJECTIVES:
1. Describe the prevalence of substance use disorders in older adults.
2. Compare the differences between the current generation of older adults and
substance use and upcoming baby boomer generation.
3. Explain the difficulty in recognizing substance use disorders in older adults.
4. Identify the issues of health literacy in medication misuse among older adults.
5. Critique common screening instruments for older adults with substance use
disorders.
6. Discuss specific treatment approaches for older adults.
“Substance Use Disorders: Issues in Older Adults”
AGENDA:
12:00 – 12:30 PM– Substance Use Disorders in Older Adults– the Problem
Demographics and Generational Differences
Issues of Opioid use in older adults
Diagnostic Criteria
“Process Addictions”
12:30 – 1:00 PM – Illicit drugs and Medication Misuse
Illicit drugs / Prescription drugs used non-medically
Issues of opioid abuse
Medication Misuse
Medication Interventions
1:00 – 1:30 PM Alcohol Abuse
Types
o At “risk”
o Early Onset
o Late Onset
Issues of “age-related” change
Risks of Alcohol use with prescription medication
1:30 – 2:15 PM Assessment/ Older Adult Specific Treatment
Assessments for substance use disorders in older adults
Evidence-based practices and older adult specific intervention
2:15 – 2:30 PM Conclusion and Evaluations