Substance use disorders are a growing problem among the older population. Add a diagnosis of dementia and the situation can become nearly impossible to manage without professional intervention. Experts say as boomers age, this scenario will only become… Continue reading
On Jan. 23, 2020, the Surgeon General released a new report on smoking and health, the first one in three decades, focusing solely on smoking cessation. The report reviews and updates evidence on the importance of quitting smoking, making it abundantly… Continue reading
Opioid abuse has risen dramatically over the past 20 years and a recent survey from the National Council on Aging (NCOA) paints an alarming picture of how older adults are affected. The survey garnered responses from more than 200 diverse community-bas… Continue reading
If you saw me walking down the street, a white, middle-class guy in his 60s, I doubt you’d think I could be someone who was once addicted to opioids. But I was, and I’m sharing my story about this journey to help people understand that addiction can ha… Continue reading
The numbers are, pardon the expression, staggering: The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence reports that 2.5 million older adults have an alcohol or drug problem. The journal Psych Central ups the ante, reporting that around 3 million pe… Continue reading
The opioid crisis has reached epidemic proportions in the U.S. More than 130 people die every day from overdose, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Older adults who hear these statistics, especially if they consider themselves to have “… Continue reading
If there’s a universal symbol for loved ones of alcoholics, I’m not aware of it. But I offer the perfect image: clasped hands tied at the wrists. My husband was a “high-functioning alcoholic,” a misnomer evoking a sense of accomplishment; a more accura… Continue reading
If you’ve seen the recent movies Beautiful Boy or Ben Is Back, you’ve learned about the pain parents experience when their grown child becomes an addict. But what the films don’t talk much about, and what’s rarely discussed, is the devastation addictio… Continue reading