Substance Use Assessment and Treatment Strategies for Older Adults

Abstract

Older adults are often underdiagnosed and undertreated for substance use disorders due to difficulty recognizing signs of substance use disorders in this population, as well as difficulty applying the DSM criteria to older adults. The current paper focuses on the prevalence of alcohol and cannabis use among older adults, as well as best practices for assessment and intervention. Through the integration of a case presentation, the current paper highlights common signs of substance use among older adults, clinical and ethical challenges in substance use disorder diagnosis and treatment among older adults, appropriate substance use assessments for older adults, and a variety of evidence-based treatment approaches that can be used with this population.

Continuing Education Information

1 CE Credit, Instructional Level: Intermediate

1 Contact Hour (New York Board of Psychology)

Disclosures: Author has no conflicts of interest to disclose. Generative AI was not used for the development or content of this presentation.

Learning Objectives:

1. Identify trends in prevalence rates of substance use disorders (SUDs) among older adults
2. Explain clinical and ethical challenges related to substance use disorder diagnosis and treatment among older adults 
3. Utilize evidence-based treatment approaches to improve outcomes among older adults with substance use disorders

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CE Disclaimers

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