Chapter 4: Treating Alcohol Misuse in Older Adults

This chapter discusses key aspects of alcohol misuse and the screening, assessment, and treatment of/services for binge drinking and AUD.

In Chapter 4, you will learn about:

• The ways in which older adults are at risk for harm from alcohol misuse, including age-specifc health effects as well as negative co-occurring mental and social
• The need to screen all older adults for alcohol misuse and alcohol-related problems. Adults
• Measures developed and approved for use with older populations, such as the Alcohol Use Disorders Identifcation Test and the Short Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test-Geriatric Version.
• The ways in which prescription medications can interact negatively with alcohol.
• The steps to guiding older clients through the continuum of care for substance misuse, including brief interventions, prevention strategies, outpatient care, inpatient rehabilitation, follow-up services, referrals, and recovery management.
• Adapting treatment and services for age-specifc needs of older adults, including clinical approaches (e.g., nonconfrontational and supportive approaches), treatment and service structure (e.g., fexible scheduling, shorter sessions), and content needs (e.g., focus on increasing behavioral change, quality of life, and social connectedness).

Chapter 5: Treating Drug Use and Prescription Medication Misuse in Older Adults

This chapter discusses age-appropriate interventions and services for older adults with substance misuse (non-alcohol-related), including illicit drug use and nonmedical prescription medication use.

In Chapter 5, you will learn that:

• Prescription medication misuse can be unintentional, underscoring the importance of educating your older clients about how to take medication correctly (including avoiding harmful interactions).

• Older adults are at risk for opioid addiction, given the high prevalence of chronic pain in this population.
• Illicit substance use (e.g., opioids, cannabis, stimulants) does occur among older adults and can be treated using behavioral and pharmacological methods.
• Routine screening and assessment will help you detect substance misuse early and accurately.
• Diagnostic criteria for SUDs may not fully apply to older clients.
• Older adults with SUDs can beneft from a wide range of age-sensitive and age-specifc treatment and services across the continuum of care, including prevention strategies, early and brief interventions, formal inpatient and outpatient treatment,
• Mutual-aid support programs and family involvement are important components of the continuum of care for older adults with SUDs.