When most people think about issues with drugs and alcohol, they often presume it’s the young that are most at risk. However, as a new report has again shown, older Australians are far from immune to the harms of drugs and alcohol.
The Older adults, alcohol and other drugs report, released by the Alcohol and Drug Foundation, highlights alarming trends in alcohol and drug-related harms among older Australians (aged 50+). The report emphasises significant risks associated with alcohol and prescribed medications, particularly when multiple substances are involved.
The Alcohol and Drug Foundation CEO, Dr. Erin Lalor AM, stressed the urgency of the issue, noting that older Australians are dying from alcohol and drug-related causes at nearly twice the rate of other age groups.
“Older people are often overlooked in harm reduction efforts and this must change,” Dr. Lalor said. “Older people drink more regularly than any other age group, and around one third are drinking at risky levels – we know that for many, these have been lifelong habits.”
Non-prescribed medication use and polysubstance use (when two or more drugs are taken together) also present significant risks. The report found that nearly two-thirds of overdose deaths in older adults involved multiple drugs.
The report notes rising prescription rates for strong medications like opioids, alongside increased illicit drug use in this demographic.
“As Australia’s population ages, we need to act fast to reduce the increased risk of harm this group faces, including better targeting them with tailored information about the risks of alcohol and other drug use,” Dr. Lalor added. “Our research shows this is best done through health providers and social peer groups, but we know conversations around alcohol and other drug use rarely occur in these environments – we must better equip them to do so.”
The report also identifies older men and those aged 50–59 as the most at-risk groups, calling for focused harm reduction and prevention efforts for these demographics.
The analysis, commissioned by the Alcohol and Drug Foundation and conducted by the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC) at UNSW Sydney, sheds light on high-risk groups and behaviors. NDARC Deputy Director Dr. Rachel Sutherland noted that older adults using alcohol, opioids, benzodiazepines, amphetamines or cannabis may benefit most from interventions.
“Our findings suggest that using drugs at home alone, remoteness area, polysubstance use and psychosocial risk factors should be considered when developing such interventions,” Dr Sutherland said.
Key learnings for businesses
We really shouldn’t be surprised at the findings by NDARC and the Alcohol and Drug Foundation. However, some, including business owners and managers may find the report unexpected.
In workplaces, this report and others emphasises that workplace drug and alcohol management programs should not focus solely on younger employees. If your business employs an older workforce, you are not immune to the challenges of substance misuse. Addressing these issues across all age groups is essential to fostering a safe and healthy workplace environment.
Contact Integrity Sampling if you want help to improve the way drugs and alcohol are managed in your workplace.
FEATURED IMAGE CAPTION:
While drug and alcohol misuse is often associated with younger people, we need to remember that older Australians are not immune from the dangers.
