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Running Head: SUBSTANCE ABUSE

SUBSTANCE ABUSE

Community Assessment

An Assessment of Substance Abuse among the Elderly in the USA

Introduction

Substance abuse refers to the excessive usage of psychoactive substances like illegal drugs, alcohol, and pain medication to an extent of causing mental, physical, or social harm. Substance abuse has been on the rise among the elderly populations in the USA. A report by the National Council on Aging (2021) approximates that almost five million elderly individuals abuse substances but this is often overlooked during check-ups. This is mainly because many people do not associate substance abuse with the elderly. It is also typical to have the elderly receiving pain medication on a long-term basis and this can easily turn into substance abuse. Therefore, this paper will address the assessment of substance abuse among the elderly in the USA. The paper will address five main parts; community resources, priority diagnoses, realistic solutions, health education, and the role of the nurse and the community in the intervention. A conclusion of the discussion will also be provided.

Community Resources

With the growing number of the USA elderly population engaging in substance abuse, there exist various community resources that support these populations by guiding them to recovery or providing them with the support and motivation required to heal. For instance, to support the elderly who suffer from alcohol abuse, there exist Alcoholics Anonymous Centers (Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, 2021) in most states in the US where the elderly can enroll and receive guidance and moral support to end their addiction. Joining Alcoholics Anonymous Centers also allows the elderly to interact with the younger populations thereby promoting quick recovery. The USA also has various Addiction Support Centers that provide the elderly with addiction treatment and moral support. An example is the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation that has branches in various states and offers treatment and rehab services for the elderly with alcohol and drug abuse problems. The treatment and care by this organization are designed to suit one’s age, gender, and mental health (Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, 2021).

These resources will support the intervention of my nursing diagnosis (substance abuse among the elderly in the USA) because they possess the necessary resources and support required to reduce and address substance abuse among the elderly. For instance, Alcoholics Anonymous provide social support and advice to the elderly and this encourages them to recover and recover from substance abuse. By having a support group, one is encouraged that they are not battling substance abuse alone. Instead, there exist other individuals with the same problem that are working towards addressing it. thus, through teamwork, positive results are realized. Addiction support centers also provide rehabilitation facilities that allow the elderly to address their addiction while accessing the required physician treatment. The treatment not only focuses on their addiction but their general wellbeing, including their mental and physical health. Therefore, these community resources are useful in preventing, treating, and controlling substance abuse among the elderly.

Priority Diagnoses

The risk of substance abuse among the USA elderly population related to the excessive consumption of prescribed pain medication, alcohol, and/or illegal substances endangers the lives and wellbeing of the old population in the USA. The goal of the assessment is to understand the extent of substance abuse among the elderly and then provide intervention measures that will work to reduce substance abuse cases among older individuals in the USA. This is because, when not controlled, substance abuse will adversely affect the lives of the elderly and people close to them. As documented by the US Department of Health and Human Services (n.d.), substance abuse among older individuals increases the risks of impaired judgment, accidental falls, heart problems, lung problems, and memory loss. Their families also suffer mentally and financially as they have to address the substance abuse by their loved ones. Therefore, substance abuse by the elderly has adverse effects.

Realistic Solutions

Education and the creation of awareness on the dangers of substance abuse will greatly help to address substance abuse among the elderly population. As reported by Blow et al. (2019), studies have shown that with the right knowledge and guidance, the elderly population is willing to stop/reduce substance abuse compared to the younger generation. Therefore, educating them is an evidence-based practice that can help control substance abuse among the elderly. Another solution is to advise the elderly to use alcohol and prescribed drugs healthily. This means only consuming them as per their age limit and not exceeding the limit. The elderly should also be trained on how to faithfully stick to the dosage of prescribed medication as this will reduce addiction. Allowing them to take prescription drugs healthily will reduce addiction while at the same time prevent withdrawal symptoms. For those who are deep into substance abuse, enrolling them in rehabilitation centers and providing them with community support systems might help in addressing the problem.

Health Education

Following the healthcare diagnosis, I will promote three aspects of health education, that is, preventing substance abuse, addressing substance abuse, and the dangers of substance abuse among the elderly population. Education on preventing substance abuse will address discipline and measures that the elderly need to implement to prevent falling into substance abuse. Education on addressing substance abuse will target the already affected population. This will cover issues about reducing and recovering from substance abuse and its side effects. Education on the dangers of substance abuse will highlight the physical, mental, health, social, and financial impacts of substance abuse to an individual and the community at large. This education will not only target the elderly but also their family members and the community at large. This is because addressing and preventing substance abuse among the elderly requires a holistic approach where all relevant stakeholders should be involved.

Role of the Nurse and Community in the Intervention

The nurse has the role of administering education about how to prevent and address substance abuse among the elderly to the community. In addition, the nurse also has the role of educating the elderly about the dangers of substance abuse. This is because they have the knowledge about substance abuse and are capable to translate this information into a simple language understood by the locals. The nurses also have the role of taking care of and guiding the elderly who are trying to recover from substance abuse. This can be achieved by setting up community intervention centers run by the nurses who then monitor the vitals of the elderly while guiding them through the recovery process (Madelne & Armstrong, 2017). The community also plays an integral role in these intervention measures. For instance, through proper training, the community can produce social workers who will assist the nurses during education and the creation of awareness. The community also has a role in implementing intervention measures to further prevent severe cases of substance abuse among the elderly in the future.

Conclusion

This paper has provided a discussion on community assessment that has focused on the cases of substance abuse among the elderly population in the USA. Substance abuse among the elderly population is often referred to as a silent pandemic that often goes unnoticed because substance abuse is not associated with the elderly and thus, the problem is easily overlooked during clinical checkups. Despite this, the paper has highlighted that the population of the elderly abusing substances is increasing as time goes by. The paper has also highlighted Alcoholics Anonymous and Addiction Support Centers as community resources available to address this problem in the USA. The paper has also emphasized the importance of education and the creation of awareness while addressing substance abuse among the elderly population.

References

Alcoholics Anonymous World Services (2021). A.A. Near You. Retrieved on April 1, 2021,

from https://www.aa.org/pages/en_US/find-aa-resources

Blow, F., Bartels, S., Brockmann, L., and Citters, A. (n.d.). Evidence-Based Practices for

Preventing Substance Abuse and Mental Health Problems in Older Adults. A Publication by Older Americans Substance Abuse and Mental Health Technical Assistance Center

Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation (2021). Recovery @50 Plus: Drug and Alcohol Rehab for

Older Adults. Retrieved on April 1, 2021, from

https://www.hazeldenbettyford.org/treatment/models/specialized-programs/older-adults

Madelne, N. and Armstrong, F. (2017). Nursing Roles in the Care of Patients With Substance

Use Disorders. Journal of Addictions Nursing: 28(3) - p 109. doi: 10.1097/JAN.0000000000000183

National Council on Aging (2021). Get the Facts on Healthy Aging. Retrieved on April 1, 2021,

from https://www.ncoa.org/article/get-the-facts-on-healthy-aging#intraPageNav2

US Department of Health and Human Services (n.d.). Substance Use in Older Adults Drug

Facts. Retrieved on April 1, 2021, from

https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/substance-use-in-older-adults-drugfacts