• Ilana Crome.
• Keele University.
• Clin Med (Lond). 2013 Dec 1; 13 Suppl 6: s46s49s46-9.

AbstractThe number of older substance misusers requiring treatment is likely to double over the next couple of decades. However, there are many misconceptions and myths about this often hidden population. Older people misuse alcohol, nicotine, prescription medication and illicit drugs. All indications are that this is increasing. This may be as a cause and/or the result of physical or mental illness, and the consequent morbidity and mortality are costly to the patient, their families and society. Patients present to a very wide variety of social and medical care settings, so screening and assessment for substance use are of paramount importance. This provides the opportunity to determine to what extent the substance problem is related to the presentation, which may be subtle and atypical in older people. Since evidence is accumulating of the benefit of treatment for substance problems in the older population, this group should not be marginalised and neglected by practitioners, researchers, educators and policy makers.

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