CONTENTS

Table of Contents
Introduction

1. Overview
2. Alcohol
3. Prescription and Over-the-Counter Medications
4. Barriers to Recognizing Problems
5. Signs and Symptoms of Misuse
6. Talking About Sensitive Issues
7. Assessing a Problem
8. Preventing Misuse
9. Intervention and Treatment

Supplements
Resources

Alcohol, Medication and Older Adults
For Those Who Care About or Care for an Older Adult

Introduction

Did you know that older adults:

• Consume 25 to 40 percent of the Nation's prescription drugs?
• Purchase 70 percent of all over-the-counter drugs?
• Fill an average of 15 prescriptions per year?
• Often take up to 10 different prescriptions at one time?

Did you know that:

• Medication-related problems may be the third or fourth leading cause of death among older adults?
• Mood-changing drugs that carry the potential for misuse and abuse are a large share of all the drugs prescribed to older adults?
• Four out of five older adults take at least one prescription drug daily?
• Over half of all people hospitalized for adverse drug reactions are over 65?
• Medication-related problems for people over 65 may cost close to $60 billion?
  

This section focuses on prescription medications and over-the-counter drugs and the potential for misuse and abuse by older adults. We will explore:

• The problem of misuse and what it means
• The factors that contribute to misuse by older adults
• The interaction of these medications with alcohol