Substance Use Among Older Adults

Online Courses

Description

As substance use among older adults become more prevalent, it’s crucial to understand its complexities. This course will help you to develop the skills you need to identify and support older adults who are impacted by substance use.

By the end of this course, you’ll understand the prevalence of substance use among older adults and its health consequences. You’ll learn to recognize patterns and describe the steps to take for screening and intervention, with an eye toward prevention.

We’ll explore various substances, including alcohol, cannabis, nicotine, opioids, and prescription drugs. Through stories and interactive activities, you’ll gain familiarity with substance use issues affecting your work and explore your own attitudes.

This course will help you broaden your knowledge of how stigma and fear create barriers to early diagnosis and treatment. Once you understand these issues, you’ll be better equipped to promote healthier lives for older adults in your care.

NEW interactive features:

• • Hear from CADER experts – we’ve utilized AI-generated video to feature our course authors, researchers and BUSSW professors who provide their own dynamic and engaging insights.
  • Participate in AI Conversations – The course utilizes AI Conversations around a topic or scenario to engage you as the learner. AI Conversations include Socratic questioning and role play exercises, so you can explore and reflect on your thoughts or role play a situation in the context of the course.

*You may register for this course individually or as part of our Behavioral Health in Aging Certificate.

Learner Feedback:

“Very useful information. I learned some interesting facts about older adults and substance use that I had never known before.”

“I thoroughly enjoyed the role-play videos to see examples of how some typically difficult conversations could go in such a positive way.”

“I am an RN in a small hospital, now working for an area on aging and I don’t really discuss alcohol abuse. I will now be more mindful of any substance use with my clients.”

CE Note: In addition to CE credits for social workers, this course has been approved to NBCC credits for LMHC/mental health professionals, and Continuing Medical Education/Continuing Nursing Education credits for healthcare professionals.

Contributing Authors:

Bronwyn Keefe, PhD, MSW, MPH, is the Assistant Dean of Workforce and Professional Development at Boston University School of Social Work where she is also the Director for The Center for Aging and Disability Education and Research (CADER) and The Network for Professional Education.

Kathy Kuhn, MSW, LICSW, has worked with older adults in a variety of health and mental health settings and is a dedicated advocate for improving training for social service professionals and the provision of services to older adults.

Amelia Paini, MSW, Program Manager for Curriculum Development, Boston University School of Social Work

Joan Ead, Eadem Writing Associates

Objectives

• Describe the prevalence of substance use among older adults. 

• Examine the impact of substance use on the health of older adults. 

• Identify treatment resources available to older adults. 

• Summarize the roles that workers can play in promoting recovery. 

• Illustrate the impact of culture on substance use among older adults.