Seniors, those who love them, and substance abuse

aadmin — Mon, 23 Mar 2015 19:05:40 +0000

Across the United States and Canada, nearly 10 per cent of the population are considered to be abusers of alcohol or drugs. And while drug and alcohol abuse is a large concern for teenagers and other adolescents, evidence suggests that a growing number of Baby Boomers and other seniors are also becoming addicted to alcohol, illicit drugs, and other illegal and harmful substances.

But it’s not just the addicts themselves who are suffering at the hands of these substances; it’s also those closest to these addicts, including their friends, family members, and spouses and partners.

Denise Krochta, a radio host and author based in Carlsbad, California, spoke to RetirementHomes.com about older people and addiction, and said that while Baby Boomers and older seniors both have widespread usage of illegal drugs – as well as overuse of alcohol – the mindset is very different between the two groups.

“Baby Boomers...are a unique population in itself. Almost all of them either experimented with or regularly used pot or alcohol and other illicit drugs of the times back and many still don't consider misuse or abuse as serious,” Krochta said.

“The older seniors are more likely to just get caught up in addiction. Alcohol, because it has been legal for so long, is commonly abused among the elderly, and to add to that, almost all seniors are using legally proscribed prescription drugs for all kinds of ailments, which have potential to be addictive,” she added.

Krochta, author of “Sweat: A Practical Plan For Keeping Your Heart Intact While Loving An Addict,” entered the world of substance abuse about 10 years ago when she discovered that her then teenage son was addicted to prescription drugs, has since branched out and now coaches family members on how to maintain good relationships with their loved ones who are addicted to drugs and alcohol.

With older people, Krochta told RetirementHomes.com that one of the biggest challenges is the societal stigma that exists about substance abuse, mental illness, and other related topics, which can make it very difficult for people who need help leaving drug and alcohol addiction to receive the important help that they need.

“As long as addicts are considered criminals I don’t think there will be change in the stigma. Also, like mental illness, it seems to make people embarrassed and ashamed to acknowledge this is a fact of life in their world, so they hide it,” Krochta said.

So what can the friends, family members and partners of Baby Boomers and seniors who are suffering from substance abuse do with their loved ones, and how can they help? Some starting points can be finding a support group or other means of assistance, both professional (such as addictions counselors) or supportive friends and family.

Tags:

abuse

addiction

alcohol

drugs

elderly

seniors

Categories:

Brain Health

Are you paying too much for prescription drugs?

aadmin — Wed, 24 Jul 2013 07:38:47 +0000

Through the recession and recent debate in Washington over cutting Medicare, Medicaid or even Social Security, an overlooked aspect of the health care industry has been the escalating cost of prescription drugs. In fact, Time Magazine in 2004 said that prescription drug prices are higher in the United States than any other developed nation; Fortune 500 surveys consistently show pharmaceutical companies as the most profit-generating businesses.

Although pharmaceuticals only account for approximately 13% of total health care costs, many consumers justifiably feel swindled when leaving pharmacies.

Statistics and Causes of High Prices

The high cost of research and development and the pharmaceutical industry's lobbying power largely account for obscene prescription drug costs. Luckily, there are some third-party providers like Medicare that negotiate prices on behalf of consumers. That said, the monthly cost of prescription drugs can still overwhelm the disabled, elderly and families.

Consumer Reports recently showed that an increasing number of Americans who should be taking certain medications are unable to do so because of ballooning costs. Over half of individuals under 65 who have no drug coverage are unable to fill basic prescriptions.

Without private insurance or third-party providers like Medicare negotiating for these slighted Americans, the option effectively becomes cut back on groceries and gas or take one's chances without prescription medication.

The silver lining is that since prices for generic drugs are considerably cheaper than prescription drugs in the United States, consumers are advised to save potentially thousands of dollars per year replacing high-cost prescription drugs with cheaper, generic alternatives.

Are Prescription Drugs Reasonably Priced?

The Affordable Care Act hopes to curtail the escalating prices of prescription drugs; but, to establish a starting point, US consumers spent over $250 billion on prescription drugs in 2010 alone. Clearly, though, with 90% of seniors taking some kind of prescription drug coupled with the fact that seniors often collect scant pensions or work part-time, something needs to be done to rein in the cost of prescription drugs.

Although almost all private insurance services provide some prescription drug coverage, many of these policies operate on a "tiering" policy that discourages or precludes low-income Americans from obtaining high-end prescription drugs. Obviously, such a set-up causes problems for low-income Americans and seniors, especially considering some disorders only have prescription drug treatments and no generic drug alternative.

Even among relatively financially stable, non-senior adults, over 11% forewent or delayed filling a prescription due to cost. There are publicly-available options to take the sting out of a trip to the pharmacy, however.

Medicare and Medicaid Save the Day

The Medicare outpatient drug program went into effect under George W. Bush in early 2006. The prescription drug component of Medicare, Medicare Part D, helps low-income seniors defer escalating prescription drug costs. Subsidies for Medicare's prescription drug plan rose to $60 billion in 2011, according to the Congressional Budget Office. These numbers indicate significant prescription drug savings for seniors and their families.

Medicaid, on the other hand, is specifically tailored to low-income individuals of all age ranges. Copayments for prescription drugs vary on Medicaid plans vis-a-vis state. The Section 340B program of Medicaid forces drug companies to negotiate prices with the government and give preferential prices to community health centers.

Although the reasons for high prescription drug prices are multifaceted, solutions for cutting monthly drug costs are equally varied. When generic alternatives are available, consumers are well-advised to replace expensive prescription drugs with generic alternatives. Furthermore, most private health insurance features some deferment of prescription drug costs. While not perfect, these strategies can help to lower expenses spent on drugs every month.

Tags:

Categories:

RetirementHomes.com - drugs

Seniors, those who love them, and substance abuse

Are you paying too much for prescription drugs?