At Any Age, It Does Matter:
Substance Abuse and Older Adults
(for Professionals)
Substance Abuse Prevention and Early Intervention Strategies
Community-Based Processes
Community-based processes expand community resources dedicated to preventing substance use and abuse. They include activities such as building community coalitions. The need for increased geriatric services has resulted in the need for additional training for service providers and impactors.
The term "impactors" refers to those people in the community who can effect change. Their involvement strengthens the community's total prevention support system and enables services to be more effectively provided. Examples of impactors and service providers for older adults include:
- Caregivers
- Educators
- Grassroots leaders and other community leaders, such as government officials, bank presidents, and newspaper editors
- Social workers, nurses, physicians, and other health care providers
- Family members
- Neighbors, roommates, and friends
- Pharmacists
- Senior center staff
- Faith/spiritual leaders
Community-based processes include environmental approaches to promote policy and system changes that reduce risk factors and preserve or increase protective factors. Examples include:
- Development of alcohol consumption guidelines for older adults
- Cross-training of health care professionals on seniors' alcohol issues and of addiction professionals on aging issues
- Development or enhancement of programs and services to help seniors who have both alcohol problems and mental health problems
- Development of alcohol policy guidelines and treatment approaches suitable to long-term care facilities
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Last Updated: 07-03-2002
SAMHSA is an Agency of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
