Substance Misuse and Older People
Date: 08 March 2012
Venue: ORT House Conference Centre, London NW1 7NE
The Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCP), in its June 2011 report Our Invisible Addicts, highlighted the emerging problem of drug and alcohol misuse in the older population. This is likely to become a significant public health issue with the huge projected increase in the number of older people in the population and a proportion of those people who are likely to be drinking more than the weekly recommended limits.
This conference will highlight the size and shape of the problem, the physical and psychiatric implications, assessment criteria, developing age-appropriate services and some case studies of successful services in two very different parts of the country.
Speakers include:
- Dr Karim Dar, Consultant Psychiatrist in Addictions, Gatehouse Alcohol Clinic, St Bernards Hospital
- Dr Linda Harris, Chief Executive, Spectrum Community Health Clinical Director, Substance Misuse and Associated Health Unit, Royal College of GPs
- Dr Claire Armstrong, Older Focus Service, Addiction Northern Ireland
- Simon Wakefield, Substance Misuse Worker for Older People, Norwich Over 50s Outreach Service, NORCAS
