LIMA, OH (WLIO) - For many elderly adults, prescriptions and medications are a part of daily life. But what are healthy ways to take medication without abusing it?
The Area Agency on Aging hosted a seminar, inviting staff from assisted living spaces and retirement homes to come learn about impactful ways to prevent opioid abuse.
The Area Agency on Aging hosted a seminar at the UNOH Event Center inviting staff from assisted living spaces and retirement homes to come learn about impactful ways to prevent opioid abuse among older adults. Guest speakers presented the right and wrong ways to handle elderly opioid abuse and good ways to present healthy alternatives into their lives, such as eliminating isolation by socializing once or twice a week.
Dr. Gregory also introduced the 6-week WISE program at the seminar.
For keynote speaker Dr. Steven Gregory, substance abuse is a problem that isn't just specific to the younger age groups.
"It's a problem all over the country, and we do see it increase locally. As people are on more prescriptions and they're drinking, these things become factors. As we have the legalization of cannabis, we see people are combining that with their medications. So the problems that we see in younger groups are the problems we also see in older groups, but we want to make sure that attention goes to them as well," said Steven Gregory, project manager at St. Marys Development and adjunct professor at Sinclair Community College.
Guest speakers presented the right and wrong ways to handle elderly opioid abuse.
Dr. Gregory also introduced the 6-week WISE program at the seminar, standing for Wellness Initiative for Senior Education to help seniors reframe what aging looks like.
