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

Health Care System Factors

Multiple sources of care
Many different doctors may be prescribing medicines for the older adult. Each doctor may prescribe several different drugs. Drug interactions among prescriptions are more common.

Limited financial resources
The high cost of some drugs may lead some older people to use less than prescribed amounts, which also is misuse. Prescription sharing causes problems. Sharing may occur to "help a friend, but it can actually harm the individual taking a drug not prescribed for him or her.

It may be difficult for older adults to get to a pharmacy to fill a prescription. Also, many older adults do not have insurance to cover the high costs of their medications. They should call a doctor for help rather than sharing or borrowing medication from a friend.

Uninformed health care providers
Providers may lack training or be unfamiliar with the conditions of an older adult. They may fail to consider the effects of aging on the body. They may prescribe medications for too long a time without appropriate monitoring.

In a hurried office visit, a doctor might order drugs without reviewing whether they interact adversely with other medications the older adult is taking. The doctor might fail to provide clear instructions on how and when to take medications or what side effects to expect.