Ask someone to imagine a typical drug addict and chances are the description will not include older adults. But baby boomers entering the senior ranks may be bringing along drug addictions that started in their teens and 20s. Other senior adults with prescription drug problems may have a difficult time adjusting to changing physical needs such as pain management. Still others may find their habitual use of alcohol or other mind-altering substances increasing after retirement leaves them with unstructured hours.
Whatever the cause, senior drug addiction presents its own challenges for recovery and rehabilitation. According to an article published on Medinfo.com, rehab programs for adults over 65 deal with the following issues:
* Many older people with drug dependancies have used the substances for long periods of time with progressively heavier stages of use. Long periods of addiction make recovery more difficult to accomplish.
* Senior drug addicts almost always need to enter detox programs because the large accumulation of drugs in their bodies. In turn, their bodies may be less able to handle the trials of withdrawal from those substances.
* They are more likely to have a prescription drug problem in addition to whatever illegal drug they are abusing.
* Seniors with drug addiction are more likely to suffer from underlying physical and mental problems as a result of the long-term use.
Recovery programs aimed at senior adults must take into account the increased medical needs of older adults including complete medical histories and analysis of current medication regimes for the ailments of aging. There may also be a need for dual diagnosis treatment to address the mental toll of long-term drug abuse. Finally, the need for rehabilitative counseling may be long term, to help the patient learn to live without their drug or drugs of choice and to help families deal with ongoing treatment needs.
NEXT DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENT - BRING A FRIEND
A recently published study shows that persons 65 and older may benefit from having companions go with them to medical appointments. "Visit companions" who actively engage in the older adult's health care process can substantially increase the patient's satisfaction with the physician care provided, according to a study published in the Archive of Internal Medicine.
A sample group of more than 12,000 Medicare beneficiaries were studied to learn whether the beneficiaries' satisfaction with their visit to a physician was enhanced by the presence of another adult during the appointment. Just under 40 percent of the patients reported that they are usually accompanied to routine medical visits. The study results indicate that more than 60 percent of the companions helped by recording the doctor's instructions. Forty-four percent assisted by providing information about the patient's conditions or needs, and 41 percent asked questions for the patient. Another 29.7 percent of visit companions helped explain physician instructions to patients.
Medicare beneficiaries who were accompanied during medical visits reported greater satisfaction with their physician's technical skills, information communication and interpersonal skills. The more actively involved the visit companion was, the higher patients rated their doctor's abilities to give instructions.
The study concluded that visit companions, whether friends, relative or caregivers, are often present during older adult's routine medical care -- to the benefit of the patients.
JOINT REPLACEMENT SURGERY MAY BE WORTH THE RISK
Doctors who fail to recommend hip and knee replacements for adults over the age of 65 may be doing a disservice to their patients, according to a study by physicians at Boston's Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.
Osteoarthritis of the hip and knee joints is a common cause of pain and disability in the elderly, but physicians often do not discuss joint replacement surgery as an option for those sufferers. Following a group of 174 patients with a mean age of 75 years, the study showed that no patient died, 17 percent had postoperative complications and 38 percent experienced pain for more than four weeks following their surgery. On average, it took 12 days for the patients to be up and walking and 49 days to be back to performing household chores. Though it took several weeks for the patients to recover, they generally experienced excellent long-term outcomes from hip and knee replacements.
Among elderly patients who did not have surgery, almost half reported that their physicians did not discuss the possibility of joint replacements with them.
IT DOESN'T SMELL LIKE IT USED TO
A diminished sense of smell is a fact of life for older adults. Though some seniors may blame the increasing blandness of food on their taste buds, it is more likely to be the sense of smell that is lacking.
A quarter of Americans over the age of 55 have a problem with their sense of smell, according to the National Institute of Health. Thirty percent of older Americans between the ages of 70 and 80, and nearly two out of three people over 80 also suffer from smell problems.
The sense of smell generally starts declining around age 60. The change can be so gradual over the years that may not realize the loss until they have a negative or even dangerous experience.
Some problems caused by lack of smell:
* Failing to detect gas leaks or fires
* Increased risk of cooking accidents
* Increased danger of eating spoiled food or toxic substances
* Weight loss due to lack of taste in foods
* Poor nutrition or certain increased health risks from too much salt or sugar in those with high blood pressure, diabetes, depression
Loss of smell can also be a sign of illness, generally neurological problems like muscular sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease or Parkinson's disease. Though a decreased sense of smell is a natural part of aging for most people, it may be something to discuss with a physician.
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