Proposal to the Grant Conty Aging and Adult Services
Geta Grant
Proposal to the Grant Conty Aging and Adult Services
for One-time-Funding
Project Overview:
11.5 percent of the 1,024,000 population of Grant County is 65 years of age or older (US Census 2006 statistics). Contra Costa’s aging population will double in the next 35 years (GCCommunity Development Department) and, according to Federal research (SAMHSA), substance abuse problems in this population will double over the next ten years. Currently, alcohol and drug misuse may affect as many as 17% of older adults with the percentage of admissions for drug treatment are up from 7.5% to 10.8% in California. (Adult DUI arrests for Grant County residents over the age of 60 increased from 118 in 2003 to 124 in 2005.)
Addiction resulting from prescription drug use and/or misuse is on the rise with seniors representing the most vulnerable of all populations in this regard as proper treatment of many medical conditions requires the use of medications that can be misused, abused and/or lead to dependency. Little is being done to prepare seniors for the addictive potential of these medications, to provide information regarding stopping the medications, and, to assist persons to develop a medication management strategy insuring appropriate dosing and avoiding over-doses.
Seniors who face declining health and mobility issues become more isolated and more depressed leading them reach for drugs and alcohol to manage their emotions which further exacerbates the problem. The greatest increase in alcohol consumption is in the senior population. Family members who witness the decline in their aging parent’s energy, ability, balance, and mood, grow increasingly concerned about them and wonder if their drinking, or certain medications or medication interactions are causing their decline. Seniors age 60 and above who add illegal drugs and/or alcohol to a growing number of prescription drugs can create a volatile toxic cocktail that can impair cognitive ability, judgment and balance, and/or lead to an increased rate of strokes and heart attacks, diabetes, and drug-alcohol interactions. It is difficult to assess the needs of seniors and many family physicians struggle to determine the cause of such symptoms such as sleep disruption and gastrointestinal problems which may be signs of substance abuse. Treatment teams with the knowledge and experience to work holistically with seniors are desperately needed.
As its first step to developing senior-specific substance abuse and mental health programs, Geta Grant proposes a pilot project offering a Community Education Workshop for seniors in Grant County and their family members called: The Slippery Slope to Addiction: What Makes Seniors More Vulnerable? Workshops will be conducted in each section of the county and focus on common causes of addictions in seniors: prescription medications, medication interactions, and self-medication for depression and/or pain management with alcohol and other substances.
Geta Grant will seek participation in these workshops from Senior Centers, Rainbow Community Center, and other agencies with programs that focus on senior services such as food banks and churches. The workshop will be developed during the first two months of this project and delivered over the following 4 months, two in Concord and one each in Richmond and Pittsburg.
Funding Request: $5,000
Contact Information:
Mary B. Able, Ph.D.
Executive Director
Geta Grant
1234 Any Road
Grant City, UT 19451
(123) 362-50500 x136