Professionals’ views on older drug use Biba Brand National Quality Development Manager November 2009, Glasgow

Methodology: 10 face –to-face interviews 71 self-completion questionnaires – Survey Monkey

Methodology: Background of interviews OrganisationRemit Academic 1Researcher 1 Statutory 4 Manager 7 Voluntary 4Direct client work 5 Private 1Clinician 2 Specialisms Addiction/criminal justice - community (1), Addiction/research (1) Addiction/general practice - community (1) Addiction/specialist prescribing – community (1) Addiction - residential (2) Addiction - community (1) Homelessness - community (2), General home support and care – community (1)

Background of self-completion questionnaires Background of self completions OrganisationsSpecialisms Statutory 54.9% (39)Specialist Community Based70.4% (50) Voluntary 42.3% (30)Specialist Residential/In-patient11.3% (8) Private 2.8% (2)Non-specialist Support Service18.3% (13) Policy Development Service 0% (0) Other (DTTO, A&R, maternity, ETE (11) Remits Manager 49.3% (35) Working directly 47.9% (34) Administrator 1.4% (1) Policy/Planning/Commissioning 1.4% (1) Other (manager with client work (5) or policy/planning (2), & 1 team response,) (8)

Proportion of services with older drug users

Strengths

I Challenges for services Current support Isolation Physical/mental health Overdose and suicide Reviews Continued drug use Late onset injecting Interagency work – elderly care, generic Control over own care

‘ Older drug users have a lot of life experiences. They know themselves and from their past, they understand what treatments work for them and when they are ready. They don’t always want to go through the care pathway we decide, but may want to skip some parts or stay longer or shorter in certain services.’

I Vision Extend & Enhance Existing Provision Practical/emotional home support Recovery - Employability, legal, welfare services Counselling, befriending Social support networks Staff – training, age, consistent, significant events, motivating (M/F) (cont’d…)

Motivation… ‘It’s hard motivating older men to move from A to B; whereas for older women, they often want to jump from A to Z and we need to slow them down.’

Vision cont’d Health Improvement Supported accommodation Residential and crisis services Early screening - chronic conditions Improved pain management Targeted work within existing drug services