Category: Health Services Research; Geriatric Rehabilitation
Objective :
To suggest the aging adaption intervention is also needed for preventing older adults' prescription opioid addiction.
To suggest occupational therapists' role in the aging adaption intervention.
Design :
NA
Setting :
The general community or any clinical setting
Participants (or Animals, Specimens, Cadavers) :
Older adults population
Interventions :
Aging adaption intervention including cognitive behavioral therapy and motivational strategies; coping skills and role reestablishment training; and active engagement with life training
Main Outcome Measure(s) :
Prescription opioid addiction
Results :
Older adults are vulnerable to opioid-related harm due to unique risk factors including pain, memory issue, undesirable age-related changes. However, current intervention (i.e. pain and medication management) main focus on limited risk factors (i.e. pain and memory issue).
To reduce the impact of undesirable age-related changes aging adaptation intervention has to be provided for older adults who are taking prescription opioids.
The aging adaption intervention can be provided by occupational therapists (OTs), for OTs work to enhance older adults' productive aging by assisting positive acceptance and adaptation to the physical, social, and psychological changes that come with aging, as well as enabling activity and a full life. OTs' aging adaptation intervention can include cognitive behavioral therapy and motivational strategies for preventing substance use disorder; coping skills and role reestablishment training for a positive attitude toward age-related changes; active engagement with life training for adaptation and success in late life.
Conclusions :
Aging adaption intervention need to be provided along with the current intervention (i.e. pain and medication management) for preventing prescription opioid addiction in older adults
Since OTs can provide not only non-pharmacological pain and medication intervention also aging adaption intervention, they can make a great contribution to prevent older adults' prescription opioid addiction.
Chang Dae Lee
– PhD student, New York University, Woodside, New York