Recognition and Treatment of Late-Life Addictions in Medical Settings

Addictive disorders among the elderly have emerged as a growing public health concern. As the proportion of the elderly population increases, more and more older adults will either develop addictions as a dysfunctional means of coping with the psychosocial consequences of aging, or will carry their long-standing addictive behaviors with them into later life. Among the most common of these addictions are smoking, excess consumption of alcohol, and gambling. This article briefly reviews these three addictive disorders and examines assessment and treatment options. The current cohort of older adults tends not to seek help for addiction problems in specialty mental health or substance abuse treatment. To improve rates of cessation and abstinence, assessment and intervention should be delivered in general medical settings such as primary care. With the addition of a behavioral health specialist, primary care has the potential to offer improved interventions in a cost-effective and time-efficient manner.