Opioid abuse is a major problem for the elderly, and a new study that attempted to place guidelines on how physicians prescribed opioids saw an immediate decrease in the number of prescriptions that were issued. The study operated on the premise that those individuals that want to purposefully seek out an opioid prescription. Because an emergency room doctor might not be aware of a patient’s past or what their true motives are, they can sometimes be viewed as an easy target.
For this purpose, researchers at Temple University Hospital put together a set of guidelines to help limit how often opioids were prescribed in an emergency setting. Their original prediction was that the number of prescriptions handed out would drop once the new guidelines were implemented, and their prediction was correct. Not only this, but the pre-study surveys that were conducted showed that 100 percent of doctors were in favor of doing this.
Although not all of the people that were observed were senior citizens, the results of this have a big impact upon the quality of their lives. Seniors are one of the most susceptible populations to negative effects when it comes to opioid misuse.
For some people, opioids are a necessity, especially when cancer pain is present. However, there is a lot of evidence out there that this type of painkiller is over prescribed, and many seniors end up passing away because of misuse, unintentional or otherwise. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the fatal overdose number with opioids is higher than the death rates from both cocaine and heroin combined. This points to a massive issue, and if opioids can be avoided in some situations, then it makes sense that they should be.
There are other ways to manage pain than through opioids, although they might not be as immediate or as effective. However, unless a conscious effort is made to try and limit usage, they remain an easy go to choice. They are effective, and they are effective quickly. Much chronic pain, though, can be associated with depression, and in seniors, this can sometimes be addressed completely without drugs. For example, one of the three major methods of treating depression–therapy–can be replicated in a way just by having a companion to talk with and share the day. Because many senior citizens find themselves alone for much of the day, this can be made far worse than it needs to be. By having a caregiver, either a professional one or a family member, companionship is given, and a lot of the stress of the day is taken away. Simply having someone to spend time with for a few hours is enough to help alleviate depression symptoms.
This is one of the many reasons why things like in-home care are becoming so popular in the senior care field. Caregivers are not necessarily cheap, but they are far less intrusive than opioids in someone’s life, and the best caregivers carry so many extra benefits with them beyond companionship and care.
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