The US Department of Health and Substance Abuse reported that Americans 50 years or older accounted for approximately 118,495 emergency room visits during 2008, the last available year for figures. Cocaine, at 63%, ranked number one as the cause for emergency treatment. Heroin ranked second with 26.5 %, trailed by marijuana,18.5%, and stimulants, 5.3%. Over one-third of older Americans who went to the emergency room for complications arising from illicit drug use had to be hospitalized.
Since 1992, older Americans seeking treatment in substance abuse programs has more than doubled, from 102,700 to 231,170 in 2008. The reasons for this increase is unclear, but several theories are suggested.
The tough economy has caused many employers to lay off workers. Older workers traditionally have a harder time finding another job. Depression brought on by financial worries, and a sense of being unwanted in the work force can lead a person to self-medicate. According to figures reported in USA Today, those hospitalized without a source of income jumped from 11% in 1992 to almost 29% in 2008.
Older people can also feel lonely. Children grow up and move away, marriages dissolve, and spouses die. The rate for those who never married increased from 13% in 1992 to 30.3%. A sense of isolation, or abandonment might be one of the reasons older adults abuse drugs,
Physical impairment increases with old age. Pain from various ailments might tempt an older person to seek relief from illegal drugs, or abuse their legitimate prescriptions.
The use of illicit drugs by celebrities, sports figures, and even politicians has created an environment where drug use is almost accepted by society. Older people no longer fear being castigated for being a “dope fiend.”
Unfortunately, drug laws do not discriminate by age, and older people are being sent to jail, along with young drug abusers.
The solution, according to Peter Delany, the director of the Center for Health Statistics and Quality, is more support from treatment centers to help older people who were substance abusers find a job. The reasoning is that a steady income can generate a stable environment. It may not be as simple as that, but having a job can give one a sense of self-worth. Taking an active part in social activities can also be beneficial. And, if one was incarcerated, finding a reentry program that understands the unique problems older Americans experience can be the best solution out there.
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