Substance Use disorders in Older Adults is a growing problem not only in the United States, but throughout the developed world. This may be particularly relevant among people from the Baby Boomer generation, born between 1946 and 1964. The use of an artificial cut off age of 65 years of age as the definition of elderly or old is somewhat arbitrary and this will be discussed. The presentation will look at the prevalence of substance use among older people with an added focus on opioid epidemiology. It will also provide an overview for screening and identifying substance use within this population group. Additionally, a broad biopsychosocial framework and sociohistorical lens will be utilized to analyze risk factors and vulnerabilities for substance use among older people. The presentation will conclude with care considerations that integrate psychosocial aspects of well-being and reinforce the importance of psychotherapeutic interventions.
