The Canadian Opioid Crisis and Its Impact on Seniors
In recent news, there has been an increased awareness of the opioid crisis that is wreaking havoc across Canada. However, there’s a subset of Canadians who are immensely affected but have remained mostly unnoticed until now – seniors. In an article published by CBC news, it was noted that there’s a concerted effort in London, Ontario to reduce the number of opioid prescriptions for seniors owing to the disastrous effects of the crisis on this demographic. These efforts don’t only aim to combat the opioid crisis itself, but also intimately related issues such as homelessness and crime.
Why Seniors?
As the CBC article points out, many seniors living with chronic pain often seek effective solutions to manage their conditions, combined with a coping mechanism for their fear of further pain. Thus, it is quite common to find a significant percentage of seniors with prescriptions for powerful opioids. Regrettably, these potent drugs pave a detrimental path to addiction with potentially fatal consequences. Moreover, this situation leads to associated societal problems such as the increase in the homeless population, spikes in crime rates, and overuse of emergency services.
Efforts to Combat the Crisis
Disturbingly, according to the articles, seniors account for 40% of all opioid prescriptions, highlighting the urgency of addressing this issue. It is within this context that efforts are being made in London, Ontario to curtail the opioid prescriptions for seniors. Authorities have identified a group of ‘high prescribers’ to target with this cautionary approach. Aiming to encourage them to reduce their prescription rates, seminars and educational materials are part of the strategy to spread awareness among these health practitioners.
Key Points:
- Opioids are being overprescribed to seniors.
- The opioid crisis leads to increased homelessness and crime.
- Naloxone plays a crucial role in the immediate response to opioid overdoses.
- Initiatives are ongoing to curb the prescription of opioids to seniors.
- Education and support for practitioners with high prescription rates are paramount in dealing with this crisis.
Remaining Challenges
Despite these efforts, there still exist obstacles in resolving this opioid crisis. The opioid class action aimed towards specific pharmaceutical companies provides some sense of relief, but the roots of the problem run deeper, detangling it requires continuous and unified efforts. Primarily, accessibility to non-opioid and non-pharmacological pain management alternatives should be increased. Additionally, the destigmatization of addiction must be a part of the public narrative to facilitate recovery for those already entangled in the web of opioid addiction.
In conclusion, the opioid crisis in Canada has gravely impacted seniors, and concerted efforts are necessary to ameliorate the situation. If proactive steps like the initiative in London, Ontario are more widely introduced and supported, we can anticipate a significant reduction in opioid prescriptions for seniors, and by extension, the whole populace. Nevertheless, we must remember that this is only a part of the puzzle. Our work should not cease at prescription reduction; it must include offering support, treatment, and access to non-opioid pain management therapies for holistic and effective resolution.
