Elder Substance Abuse Nguyet 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 Community Project 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 Secondary 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 Drug Abuse 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 Myrna Domestic Violence Shelter Sabianca Delva Boston College Casa Myrna Domestic Violence Shelter

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

About Casa Myrna Vasquez Introduction About Casa Myrna Vasquez History Confidentiality ABOUT: Non profit organization: aim is to provide a range of programs to victims of domestic and dating violence HISTORY: Casa Myrna was founded in the mid 1970s by neighborhood activists and street workers in Boston’s South End. Day after day, they found themselves listening with outrage and frustration as neighborhood women confided of beatings and abuse at the hands of their husbands or partners. Children talked about the abuse of their mothers.

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 SafeLink is the Massachusetts statewide 24/7 toll-free domestic violence hotline operated by Casa Myrna. SafeLink hotline advocates are multilingual, and have access to a translation service that can provide translation in more than 130 languages. All calls to SafeLink are free, confidential and anonymous.

Notable Projects Teaching Project Advocacy 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