According to local health professionals, older adults are increasingly vulnerable to addiction and co-occurring mental health issues — especially in recent years. Substance abuse — most commonly alcohol but also prescription drugs like opioids — doesn't necessarily indicate a mental health condition, but they can often be connected.
Factors seniors face include boredom from the loss of the routine that comes with a career, or the loss of an identity that went along with that career; experiencing loss of friends and loved ones at a higher rate than younger people; and most crucially social isolation.
But experts say ageism is also a factor, both from doctors who might overlook signs of depression, to friends and family members who might write off excessive drinking or drug use as just something an older person has the right to enjoy at a later stage of their life.
To get a sense of what lies behind these factors and what treatment options are out there, and what families and caregivers should watch for and how they can support loved ones in seeking help, we talk with someone from the Hazelden Betty Ford Clinic in Naples.
Guest:
Terry Gerlach, Supervisor of Clinical Services at the Hazelden Betty Ford mental health and addiction treatment center in Naples.
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