ELDER SUBSTANCE ABUSENguyet T. Chau

Boston College, William F. Connell School of Nursing

Keys to Inclusive Leadership in Nursing (KILN)

Laboure Center

Location: South Boston Mission: To build communities,

promote family life, and enhance human dignity by providing quality services to meet the physical, social, emotional and spiritual needs of individuals and families of all faiths and beliefs.

Services Basic Needs Service Family Intervention TEAM Youth Tutoring Youth Pregnancy Counseling Elder Social Services Nursing Assistant/Home Health

Aide Training Visiting Nurses Services

Mentoring Experience

Priscilla Greene Registered Nurse Masters in Nursing VNS Program Director

Community Project Discussion on topics that

effect VNS patient population Elder Substance Abuse Hoarding Home Safety Diabetes Management

Plan Implementation

Addictions in the Elderly

Addictions in the elderly is considered a hidden epidemic Alcoholism

“Hardy survivors” Late onset

Nicotine addiction Prescription drugs

Valium, Xanax, Halcion

Benzodiazepines

Barriers to Receiving Treatment

Substance Abuser Denial Anticipatory/Relief

oriented beliefs Shame and guilt

Family and Friends Rationalization Enablers

Healthcare Provider Lack of awareness Embarrassment or fear

of confrontation Stereotyping

Nursing Role

Primary Prevention Education

Secondary Prevention Health Screenings

Tertiary Prevention Rehabilitation

Community Health Project

Goal To develop a screening

tool that can identify elder substance abuse in the population of South Boston

Task Research

Screening tools specific to Substance being used Geriatric population

Community resources Create brochures Generate interest

References

Aging in Canada. (2004). Alcohol and Seniors Barriers to Receiving Help. Retrieved from http://www.agingincanada.ca/Seniors%20Alcohol/1g3b.htm

American Family Physician. (2000). Alcoholism in the Elderly. Retrieved from http://www.aafp.org/afp/2000/0315/p1710.html

Colorado Coalition for Elder Rights and Abuse Prevention. (2011). Substance Abuse Among Older Adults: An Invisible Epidemic. Retrieved from http://www.ccerap.org/index.php/newsletter-and-archive/newsletter-archive

Institute of Alcohol Studies. (2010). Alcohol and the Elderly. Retrieved from http://www.ias.org.uk/resources/factsheets/elderly.pdf

National Institute of Drug Abuse. (2011). NIDA Info Facts: Understanding DrugAbuse and Addiction. Retrieved from http://drugabuse.gov/infofacts/understand.html

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services. (2008). The Impact of Substance Use

and Abuse by the Elderly: The Next 20 to 30 years. Retrieved from: http://www.samhsa.gov/data/Aging/chap1.htm

Casa MyrnaDomestic Violence

Shelter

Sabianca DelvaBoston College

Purpose of the Program• Expose the nursing students to the

population of Domestic Violence (DV) survivors

• Raise the nursing student’s awareness about DV

• Provide health information to an underserved population of women

Introduction• About Casa Myrna Vasquez

• History• Confidentiality

Overview

• Training• Residential programs• Supportive Services• Projects

• Teaching• Advocacy

Training• Hosted by the Greater Boston Domestic

Violence Volunteer Consortium (GBDVVC)• 25 hours• Sessions

• Domestic Violence(DV) 101• Teen Dating Violence• Dating Violence in College• LGTBQ issues• Children and DV• Sexual Assault

Residential Services• Rotated for 3 weeks• Teen Parenting Program• Mary Foreman Emergency Shelter• Transitional Living Program

Supportive Services

• SafeLink hotline• Legal advocacy program• Housing specialist• Self-sufficiency Specialist• Counseling services• Community Advocacy• Education and Outreach

Notable Projects• Teaching Project

• Women’s Health• Topics

• HIV• HPV/Cervical Cancer• Breast Self Exam

• Props• Advocacy Project

• Recipe Book• Newsletter

Conclusion

• Reality check• Enlightenment• Empowerment• Working with underserved populations• Value of teaching

Questions & Answers