CONTENTS

Table of Contents
Introduction

1. Overview
2. Recognizing Alcohol Misuse and Abuse in Older Adults
3. Alcohol and Aging
4. Diagnosing Alcohol Problems in Older Adults
5. Recognizing Other Forms of Substance Abuse
6. Prevention and Early Intervention Strategies
7. Treatment
8. Outcomes and Cost Issues in Alcohol Treatment for Older Adults
9. Legal and Ethical Issues

Supplements
Resources

At Any Age, It Does Matter:
Substance Abuse and Older Adults (for Professionals)

Steps in Developing a Differential Diagnosis Plan

It is extremely important to use appropriate medical or psychiatric professionals as resources in differential diagnosis.

• Obtain a medical history—The medical history and information on all currently prescribed medications should be obtained from the person’s physicians.
• Obtain a behavior and alcohol use history—Family members or others who observe the person on a regular basis can be most helpful in providing this information.
• Obtain a family, sexual, psychiatric, alcohol, and drug history.
• Assess current medication and alcohol use—Obtain information from the older person on alcohol use, the use of medication (both prescription and over-the-counter medicines), and perceived problems or changes.
• Determine effects of drugs—Learn about the actions of medications the person is taking, their possible side effects, and interactions with each other and with alcohol. This can be done by checking a Physician’s Desk Reference (PDR) or consulting with a pharmacist or a physician.
• Consider effects of chronic diseases—Determine and consider the symptoms of chronic diseases that may be the cause or contributing factors to the person’s problems.