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Substance Use Disorders: Issues for Older Adults : Webinar

Thu, Aug 04

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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.

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Substance Use Disorders: Issues for Older Adults : Webinar
Substance Use Disorders: Issues for Older Adults : Webinar

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

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Statewide information at: PA Link to Community Care                                                    PA Link Helpline: (800) 753 - 8827
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