By Dan Reiner | 1.9.2020
We surveyed community-based organizations (CBOs) about how the opioid
crisis is affecting the older adults they serve. What we found
reveals a lot about the important work already being done by CBOs, and the
difficult circumstances faced by families struggling with the ripple effects of
opioid addiction.
A national challenge
The variety of CBOs responding to our survey underscores the
reach and scope of the opioid epidemic. More than 200 organizations, including
senior centers, Area Agencies on Aging, health care organizations, and
multi-purpose social service organizations in 40 states and Puerto Rico told us
about their experiences. 70% of responding CBOs said they were spending more
time addressing issues related to the opioid epidemic affecting their older
clients or caregivers compared to two years ago.
To put the work already being done by these organizations in
perspective, 71% of the surveyed CBOs said they have increased their efforts to
address the problem, but only 20% have been able to increase their efforts by
more than 25%. That’s a lot of numbers to digest, but they lead to a clear
conclusion: no matter where they are, community-based organizations assisting
older adults are facing new strains on their resources, and not all of them
have been able to adapt.
Lessons learned
Responses to the survey demonstrated how valuable CBOs can be in
providing information to policy makers, funders, and partners interested in
supporting communities struggling under the weight of opioid abuse. With the
responses from CBOs, we have a better understanding of the:
·
impact of unexpected caregiving
responsibilities for grandchildren or younger relatives
·
financial strain of addiction and
recovery for seniors themselves or family members
·
importance—and lack of—screening for
opioid misuse in these organizations
The testimony of the organizations assisting older adults can
provide a path for authorities to help stem the opioid epidemic, and help
communities recover. Explore the
findings of our survey, and ask your local community-based
organizations how you can support their work.
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