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Choosing to Change: A Client-Centred Approach to Alcohol and Medication Use by Older Adults

Section 2: The Client - Identifying the Problem

Clinicians report that, when older adults experience problems with substance use, the reasons for use often differ from those of younger people. Older adults may experience a variety of life issues that can increase their risk of problems with alcohol or medication. These can include stresses related to the following areas:

• Psychosocial — retirement; changing roles in the family; loss of companionship through death of a partner, close friends, family members or pets; decreased mobility; loss of memory; boredom; sadness; anxiety; depression and trauma, including physical or sexual abuse or war experiences
• Spiritual — unresolved grief; mourning over loss of health; losing hope; and coming to terms with death
• Physical — lack of energy; physical aches and pain; and sleep disturbances
• Environmental — financial difficulties; housing problems; loss of independence; lack of support services; and “ageism”

(i.e., lack of respect shown for older adults in the community and society).

In addition, an older adult may continue to use a substance hazardously because he or In addition, an older adult may continue to use a substance hazardously because he or she has become dependent on the substance and feels unable to stop.