Addiction in Elderly on the Rise

Addiction among the elderly is on the rise, as a result of the increased physical pain, and depression that comes with getting older.  Older Americans make up only 13 percent of the population but receive approximately one-third of all medications prescribed in this country. Studies from the National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information show that as many as 17 percent of adults age 60 and over abuse prescription drugs like pain killers, sleeping pills and tranquillizers.

They encourage those responsible for the elderly to do a mental status check from visit to visit. People should look for sudden changes in behavior or mental capacity and make sure the requests for refills don’t increase.

Treatment must be tailored to the individual patient’s needs in order to optimize outcomes—this often involves a combination of treatment, social supports, and other services. Seabrook, an internationally recognized drug rehab and alcoholism detox treatment center, offers these unique and individually structured services to get cocaine addicts on the road to recovery. Seabrook has treatment centers located in New Jersey (NJ) and Pennsylvania (PA), and an outpatient office in New York (NY). Contact Seabrook today with any questions concerning cocaine abuse and treatment programs.