Drug abuse among the elderly?

I would guess it has to do with growth in the number of elderly out there. But that doesn't change the fact that dealing with problems like addiction is an incredibly difficult thing even when they're not complicated by the other issues that affect older people. My dad was a relatively heavy drinker during his adult life -- not a severe 24-7 alcoholic -- but someone with a drinking problem; going to the bar 2-3 nights a week and drinking way too much, but he slowed down dramatically in his fifties. He's since developed Alzheimer's at an early age. 58 or so. His father developed dementia when he was in his eighties and near death but otherwise there's no history of Alzheimer's or severe dementia in our family. I can't help but wonder if the damage my dad did to his brain over the years contributed to his Alzheimer's or if somehow the growth of his dementia had something do with why his drinking slowed down.

My mother-in-law is in her 70's and has been addicted to alcohol for the last 13 years and is currently abusing her medications. Her parents and most of her siblings are dead, I don't know their history. Her first husband my husband's father is dead and so is her third husband don't know if the 2nd one is still alive. She was the youngest sister and hung around a partied with her older siblings. My husband thinks she started drinking after the 2nd husband left, but I think she could have been abusing alcohol before that and he was too young to tell the difference. He said he found empty alcohol bottles thrown over the fence onto the railroad tracks behind her house. I know he said his mom and dad fought a lot before the divorce and I'm sure they partied a lot. He remembers being left alone with his older sister while the "went out". She started taking patients medications that were under her care. Then she went back to alcoholism, she lost her house to foreclosure so she came to live with her son. His sister moved away and they haven't heard from her for over 30 years. He kicked her out because of her drinking then took her back but bought another house and moved out. Then we married. We fixed up the house, painting etc for her but she was supposed to take care of it which she hasn't done so. She had blockages in her heart and had stints put in. She continued to drink and smoke and not exercise. Then she developed diabetes, she overdosed on codeine laced cough syrup and checked herself into the hospital, they put her on oxygen and sent her home. She then started overusing inhalers to get a high. She either had a stroke and/or fell and was willing to go to the hospital only because she thought she could get pain medication. When my husband had back surgery she was always trying to get him to giver her some of his Lortab, we finally had to resort to saying he was always out. He's off of them now thank goodness. She checked herself into the hospital a week ago today because one of her lungs was partially collapsed. She is also malnourished and can't swallow the massive amounts of saliva she is producing, she is very hard to understand when she talks. I do her grocery shopping for her but I'm not there to see how much she eats. I didn't feel like digging through her trash. We are at the point that we do not know how much is self inflicted or not. My husband didn't have DPOA until this last hospital stay so we never talked to the doctors who were over her care. She is a chronic liar so we don't know what to believe. She's an insomniac and basically lives on her couch. I think the structured environment at the nursing home will be great for her but if she wants to leave I don't know what we can do. She's five blocks from our house, there are other residents there and she is more gregarious, she can smoke if she wants, her pet can visit, she will have someone to cook, clean and do her laundry but she hates it even though she has said she wants someone to do that for her since she can't anymore. My 89 year old mother lives with us now. Once the house is cleaned and fixed up then it can be maintained but I know she can't/won't do it.

My grandmom had a depression disorder. It's been for years that she had this problem when we consult her to a physician she was given a medication (anti-depressant) for her. It was been doing good w/ it and reacting with the drug. She was doing okey but eventually we want to stop her medication, it was way out of hand. We never realizes that she was addicted to it. She keeps looking and seeking for those drugs.

We've search on the net on how to eliminate her addiction to that drug and we found out that through means of counseling and therapy. So we tried to go to a residential treatment center to ask some advice and learn more on the programs that they have. They really are great on taking care of my grandmom, slowly making progress. Now we had to really make things right by choosing which organization or individual to seek help for. This is my search on why I've chosen RTC for my grandmom. (click here[residentialtreatment411.com])

Yes, big time! I work in long-term care and many times patients are addicted to several drugs. Sometimes the addiction is just fed as the behavioral problems associated with withdrawl are more than staff can handle. Many times the addiction is treated in another facility but usually the need for pain medication returns and they are given the same medications they were addicted to in the beginning. Cycle starts all over again. Several patients have been "rounders" and at our facility after being sent to drug/alcohol rehab until they get used to things. Most are 50-75 and most return at least three times. The age things is no different than those of a younger age. Drug seekers all exhibit the same behaviors and will go to extreme lenghts to get drugs. You might educate yourself to the behaviors so you can be aware of pitfalls. Good luck.

Quite possibly drinking alcohol gave him early dementia. I have seen it many times in alcoholics that are older in nursing homes where I work.

Me too violet 5611. The treatment programs are different for them as well as the health and behavioral problems.

Ack! Scary someone considers me "elderly" in late 50's, but oh well. Probably part of reason it is increasingly harder to get my pain meds...

My mother is 70 yrs old and addicted to vicodin. This started years ago when she became addicted to codeine tabs for severe cramps as a teen. She has been off and on those for years till her 30's. I should note she has self proclaimed depression all of my life. In her 30's my mom and dad would drink beer at home. Dad was "relaxing so he could sleep" and mom got tired of his distraction from her trying to give him her stress from her day, what she called "all the shit i put up with, with these kids", so she began drinking as a payback. So, now mom is trying to outdrink dad and hound him about her day he knows nothing about. Meanwhile dad who just wants to get some rest for his next day, which he doesn't complain about, just wants to get her quiet and nothing works. So, there is fighting and abuse going on. Years pass and she finds interest is something else and quits drinking. All is well except depression that continues. My dad has a back injury on the job and gets vicodin and they both start sharing his prescription. He has since lost his abilities to do the things he loved most and hurts all the time and doesn't know what to do with mom's growing addiction so he followed his plan not to live past 65. He shot himself at 66. Mom lives with me now,I don't allow illegal pills in my home so my last attempt to get her to see this was to get a mental health warrant due to her talking of killing herself when her prescribed pills ran out. It's been a long week. If she rebounds and contacts her friend that sells her pills she knows I will be shopping for assisted living homes. I know there are people who's family can't take care of them or won't. It's a shame she has a family member that will and probably won't have the chance. Good luck to all. Set boundaries and follow them is what i have learned. Hope this helps someone, know you are not alone.

Dear tanyad, I am coming from a diferent point of view I am a addict. i used vicodin, soma, ativan, ambien all my life for 35 years. i took care of mother at home in hospice and saw such a variety of drugs it made my head spin. So i know all the havoc an addict can cause i am so sorry about your Dad - that touched my heart how you described his life. Quite frankly, he deserved better. Your mothers's depression I would bet money is coming from drug use.She needs medical attention and go to a rehab. She will never become honest unless she does! Any good doctor oul tell hershe needs to go . At this point in her addtion she has nothing to lose. I understand she's older and maybe a doctor can suggest some rehabs where she is not with young kids on meth!Write me at herbert909@comcat.net.Much love and prayers for you, Colleen