Alcohol and other drug abuse in elders.

Abstract

With the growing population of older persons, ET nurses can expect an increasing number of elderly clients in their practice settings. Elderly persons are not immune to alcohol and other drug abuse. Detection of substance abuse in this population is complex and often missed. The purposes of this article are as follows: (1) examine barriers that may prevent nurses from addressing substance abuse among the elderly population; (2) suggest risks for psychoactive substance abuse in this population; (3) identify warning signs that should alert nurses to the problem; and (4) outline treatment options for substance-abusing clients.