Prescription Drug Abuse Please Describe

Prescription Drug Abuse

please describe some of the most pressing physical, cognitive, and socioemotional concerns in the elderly that could give rise to substance abuse problems

Memo on prescription drug abuse amongst the elderly:

Advice for the director of assisted living facility xyz

To the director of assisted living facility xyz:

Drug abuse is often the result of greater access to addictive substances and the normalization of abusive behaviors. This can be seen in adolescents: underage teens with greater access to drugs and alcohol because of the practice of frequent binge drinking at their college fraternity or the presence of cigarette vending machines are more apt to use these substances. The rise in prescription medications, from painkillers such as OxyContin to stimulants such as Adderall has also increased the rates of prescription drug abuse. But while teens are often the focus of anti-drinking, anti-drug campaigns, this focus neglects to take into consideration the population that receives more prescriptions for medications than any other group: the elderly.

While many Americans age 65 or older may take drugs for legitimate ailments, for others abusing prescription drugs becomes a way of coping with the stresses and loneliness of aging. Also, because it is more socially acceptable for older people to be taking many medications, the line between abuse and use can be much blurrier. According to a National Institute of Drug Abuse research study, although Americans over 65 comprise only 13% of the population, they account for approximately one-third of all medications prescribed in the United States. They are also more likely to be prescribed long-term and multiple prescriptions. This can lead to unintentional -- and intentional -- abuse.

Using five or more different prescription drugs amongst the elderly has been linked to a greater number of primary care visits to deal with the complications of drug treatment (Jorgensen, 2001, p.1004). But even frequent doctor visits are no panacea: "an individual may be seeing a family practice physician for general health needs and specialists for specific diseases or illnesses. If these physicians are not communicating, the patient can be over-medicated and end up in serious difficulty" (Benshoff 2003, p.1). Taking drugs for longer than medically necessary, asking multiple physicians for drugs, or simply accepting medications for which they are over-prescribed by irresponsible physicians can all shape the pattern of elderly person's prescription drug abuse. Taking prescription drugs with alcohol or drugs that are contraindicated with their medications is another. Drugs with psychoactive properties may be more prescribed amongst the elderly, because it is assumed they are less likely to abuse them: "Elderly individuals are 2-3 times more likely than younger individuals to be prescribed psychoactive drugs, most notably benzodiazepines [sedatives]…benzodiazepines make up 17% to 23% of drugs prescribed for older adults" (Benshoff 2003, p.1).

Both early and late-onset drug abusers are manifest in the elderly population: late abusers may be individuals who always engaged in moderate consumption, but because of chronic pain, social isolation, and depression have begun to use more painkillers or other medications than are medically necessary to cope with their illnesses. Others may have addictive tendencies and abused alcohol and hard drugs, but have shifted their addiction to more socially acceptable prescription drugs.