SUBSTANCE MISUSE AND ABUSE AMONG THE ELDERLY - IMPLICATIONS FOR SOCIAL-WORK INTERVENTION

This article reviews the literature on the misuse and abuse of psychoa ctive substances among the elderly. Three main patterns of abuse chara cteristic of this age group are identified and analyzed: abuse of medi cations, of alcohol, and of illegal drugs. The article refers to issue s such as: the extent (prevalence and incidence) of the problem among the elderly, the predictors and correlates of abuse, and its special d angers and effects on the elderly and their environment. The key roles that social workers should play in prevention and treatment are discu ssed.