What Happens When The Elderly Get Addicted to Opioids?
Medically Reviewed By: Dr. Patricia Sullivan, MD MPH
It is a common misconception in the United States that young people are the primary population affected by opioid addiction. It might come as a surprise that elderly generations are affected just as much by prescription opioids.
Between 2010 and 2015, opioid-related hospitalizations increased 34 percent, and emergency room visits increased 74 percent.
The biggest reason older generations are falling into opioid addiction is an aging body. With an older body comes pain from living a long demanding life.
Prescription opioid use by the elderly has increased and will not go away anytime soon. It is a challenge that many older individuals must be aware of. Knowing the dangers and how to avoid them are vital in not facing the consequences of addiction.
If you or someone you love is facing opioid addiction, chat with us below or give us a call today at (385) 327-7418
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Prescription Opioids Putting Elderly at Risk
The media highlights the opioid pandemic as a young person’s battle when it is everyone’s battle. Members of the baby boomer generation specifically have accounted for the major growth of opioid misuse.
The Department of Health and Human Services (DOHHS) has begun researching the recent growth. They found that in 2016 14.4 million beneficiaries received an opioid prescription. Of those individuals, 500,000 were prescribed large doses.
Between 2002 and 2014, it was also reported prescription opioid use by the elderly was on the rise.
“Many perceive the face of opioid addiction as young. The epidemic, however, intersects just as much with older adults,” Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) said during a hearing in 2018. “While there is no silver bullet to ending this scourge, Congress and this Committee are fighting back on multiple fronts. We are making progress, but we must continue to reexamine this issue from every angle, as the opioid crisis continues to tighten its grip not only on older adults, but also on the future generations of America.”
Opioids’ impact on the elderly community is estimated to be at a new high in 2022. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) research estimate that older people with substance use disorder (SUD) will rise to 5.7 million in 2022. This is a huge leap from the 2.8 million affected between 2002 and 2006.
These numbers are far higher than any other generation before them. Due to this rise in opioid use by seniors, there has been a rise in physical and mental health issues. Social and family settings also feel the consequences of opioid addiction by older adults.
Since older people already have poorer health conditions, the addition of substance abuse only furthers the chances for negative consequences.
It has become more common to see accidental overdoses from older individuals, but what has started this connection between opioids and seniors?
Chronic Pain Leads to Opioid Abuse
Opioid use in older adult communities will continue to grow due to the pains many older individuals deal with. As individuals age, it’s only natural that chronic pain becomes more prevalent.
Many doctors are becoming more aware of opioid misuse by older generations. According to the National Library of Medicine (NLM), older individuals need extra care to use opioids because they tend to have impaired physical reserves, slower metabolisms, and excretion.
The rate of chronic pain found in older individuals’ communities is higher than many assume and even higher for those in nursing homes. Chronic pain makes up 25 to 50 percent of individuals living in elderly communities, while nearly 70 percent of the elderly report feeling chronic pain in nursing homes. This has been the leading reason for opioid abuse among them.
The American Geriatrics Society (AGS) found in their research that nearly 80 percent of the elderly in long-term residential care have substantial chronic pain. Furthermore, only 25 percent of those dealing with pain were not taking any medication whatsoever.
One of the biggest challenges for physicians and doctors trying to take care of older individuals is rapid medications. Older bodies cannot handle the intense alterations that medications have undergone, making the treatment for chronic pain difficult. This leads to misuse between opioids and seniors to try to lessen the chronic pain they feel.
Even though opioid misuse is so high among the elderly, the World Health Organization (WHO) still believes that opiate analgesics should be used for treatment.
The WHO recommends that chronic pain and opioid use among the elderly be contained in a clinical setting. If medical professionals control dosage and scheduling for opioid distribution, addiction could be controlled.
The NLM found that there are six primary opiates that get abused by older people
- Morphine
- Oxycodone
- Hydrocodone
- Hydromorphone
- Codeine
- Methadone
Major Risks of Opioid Misuse and Abuse in Older Adults
Misusing opioids does not simply relate to accidental overdose. There can be several other risks with misusing opioids as an older individual.
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) has found in studies that many seniors are likely to be involved with mortality causing accidents. These include severe falls and body fractures. Additionally, the older the body becomes, the weaker it is when ingesting substances.
The AHRQ found that more hospitalizations occur from older individuals who do not misuse their prescriptions. These hospitalizations are caused due to natural aging and alterations that occur from aging. Specifically, the human metabolism changes drastically as aging takes place.
Major risk factors that medical professionals must watch for include:
Cognitive Impairment – failure to remember, learn, concentrate or make decisions
Polypharmacy – the process of using multiple drugs together to treat a condition
Altered hepatic or renal drug metabolism – the body’s ability to metabolize drugs in the body
Respiratory weakness – breathing weakness
Hypogonadism – reduction of testosterone or hormone production from genitalia
Osteoporosis – the weakening of bones in the body
Physical Harm – falling, fractures, weak bones
Prescription opioid use by the elderly has also affected the ability to diagnose cognitive decline and dementia in many patients properly.
Leaving these untreated can alter how opioids are prescribed, resulting in accidental overdose. The AHRQ also warns of seeing multiple health care providers. Many providers do not share information about a single patient resulting in multiple prescriptions being issued. This also leads to dangers such as overdose. It is also important to understand that older individuals will recreationally use opioid prescriptions.
It is difficult to recognize these individuals since many elderly experience pains differently. This makes pinpointing those using opioids on purpose harder to find within the population of seniors.
Addiction Treatment for Older Adults
Treatments will vary from person to person. One aspect that should be looked for when searching for a rehabilitation center is personalizing the treatment to your needs.
Before getting into treatment, older individuals will have to want to go first. The desire for change and to go to treatment is where proper intervention can get tricky for older adults.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse has found that older people do not enter treatment as often as they should. Older adults don’t enter into treatment as often partly because their addiction may go unrecognized. It’s believed this happens because for a few reasons.
First, the baby boomer generation has a history of drug use during their lifetime. The cultural norms were different during their time, so drug use was viewed very differently by them.
Secondly, the ease of access to certain prescription medications makes drug use even easier to do. The NIDA found that elderly individuals who do enter treatment see similar recovery results to those of a younger age.
According to information presented by the Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS), there were only 14 230 elderly treatment admissions in 2012.
The definition of elderly that the TEDS are using is anyone over the age of 65. They found in their data that only 17 elderly individuals began treatment on their terms on an average daily basis. That resulted in 22 others being involuntarily admitted to treatment for their wellbeing, ranging from the criminal justice system or other healthcare professionals.
While treatment is not the first option for older people struggling, families should take the first step and get them involved.
Working with support groups can help free an individual from the grip of addictive substances. It all starts with researching treatment programs and walking with rehabilitation centers to find the right one for your loved one.
Addiction and Relationships
Misusing opioids does not simply relate to accidental overdose. There can be several other risks with misusing opioids as an older individual.
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) has found in studies that many seniors are likely to be involved with mortality causing accidents. These include severe falls and body fractures. Additionally, the older the body becomes, the weaker it is when ingesting substances.
The AHRQ found that more hospitalizations occur from older individuals who do not misuse their prescriptions. These hospitalizations are caused due to natural aging and alterations that occur from aging. Specifically, the human metabolism changes drastically as aging takes place.
Major risk factors that medical professionals must watch for include:
Cognitive Impairment – failure to remember, learn, concentrate or make decisions
Polypharmacy – the process of using multiple drugs together to treat a condition
Altered hepatic or renal drug metabolism – the body’s ability to metabolize drugs in the body
Respiratory weakness – breathing weakness
Hypogonadism – reduction of testosterone or hormone production from genitalia
Osteoporosis – the weakening of bones in the body
Physical Harm – falling, fractures, weak bones
Prescription opioid use by the elderly has also affected the ability to diagnose cognitive decline and dementia in many patients properly.
Leaving these untreated can alter how opioids are prescribed, resulting in accidental overdose. The AHRQ also warns of seeing multiple health care providers. Many providers do not share information about a single patient resulting in multiple prescriptions being issued. This also leads to dangers such as overdose. It is also important to understand that older individuals will recreationally use opioid prescriptions.
It is difficult to recognize these individuals since many elderly experience pains differently. This makes pinpointing those using opioids on purpose harder to find within the population of seniors.
How to Get Addiction Help for Older Adults
There will not be a decrease in prescription opioid use by the elderly, but being educated on the dangers can make a difference in hospitalizations. Older individuals can take control of their personal prescription use by listening to their doctors and understanding the dangers.
Opioids were created for a reason and should not be immediately distrusted, but they can ruin your life if moderation is not implemented. With the proper prescription dosage, older adults can avoid chronic pain, so listen to your doctor. Keep your prescription away from young ones so they cannot gain access to them.
Approach opioid use with intelligence and education on the drug you’re using to get the most of it.
If you or a loved one are dealing with opioid addiction, seek treatment as soon as possible.
Call us at (385) 327-7418 for more information on treatment for older adults. By getting involved with a personalized treatment program, the journey to recovery can be done.
It is never too late to get help. Call us today and get started on a happier, addiction free life.
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