Late-life addiction has been a neglected topic in the field of substance-use disorders research. Research suggests that with the aging baby-boomer generation, decline in fertility rates, and increases in life expectancy, there will be an increasing demand on the substance-abuse treatment systems designed specifically for individuals aged 65 and older in the next decade. Emerging technologies such as electronic health records, dashboards, communication tools, and new-generation monitoring devices offer significant opportunities to advance the treatment and recovery management of substance use disorders. This chapter explains the emerging technologies that are being used in addiction treatment and proposes guidelines for how these systems can be adopted for older adults by drawing on experiences from ElderTree, an interactive health technology designed for older populations.
Unmet need for treatment for substance use disorders across race and ethnicity
