Geriatric make up a large part of the societies of the world. At this stage in their lives they are susceptible to physical and emotional problems. Many Geriatric find themselves in the middle or low income bracket since many are retired and live on retirement benefits or some have none at all.
Many find it extremely difficult to visit hospitals and clinics without physical and financial help from family members. These mitigate in many elderly folks resorting to self prescribed over the counter medications or home remedies from friends thus ending in abused.
Although some families do make effort to take care of the elderly some find in difficult both financially, emotionally and physically to take care of their older folks. In low income families there is no funding for nursing home care.
Unknown to many of these families they do contribute to the woes of their geriatric by supplying them with unmonitored substances to alleviate their discomfiture. From studies it has been proven that Geriatrics used at least 25% of the over counter medications and about the same for prescribed substances. Bordering on drug abuse (Oppener and Veron 1978).
In a researched carried out it was found that some of the drugs abused by these individuals were: Analgesics: This is a group of drugs that can be classified as narcotic and non narcotic. They are usually made from acetyl salicylic acid the base for Aspirin and may come under brand names such as Cafenol and Paracetamol. They were used by the geriatric for pains associated with back, joints, arthritis, tooth ache and headaches, other deep seated root pains and as anticoagulant. out (Murray .1987)
Laxatives
These were also widely used these are drugs used to promote defecation from the colon by way of the rectum. In 1979 over 27,000 preparations were on the market (Garbed, Beckford 1979). The digestive organs of the geriatric are usually slowed and they suffer grave constipation problems. Some suffer diverticulitis or and an out pocketing of the large intestines ;they try helping themselves with laxatives. Laxative acts as stimulants :such as castor oil, saline such as Epsom salt , bulk forming such as Metamucil, emollients fecal or softener such as Colace. Although they may help the immediate problems they produce side effects like muscular weakening of the intestinal walls, diarrhea and belly pains. Over use of laxative may result in lesions forming resulting from erosion of the intestine walls.
Sedatives and Hypnotics
Is also another class of drug that elderly folk's abuse. The ones, most commonly abused is Phenobarbitals depending on the length of times this drug takes to act and the dosage taken will categorize it as either a sedative or a hypnotic. The aged always complained of not being able to sleep. Sedatives can result in emotional dependency.
Antacids
The good old antacid falls under this category of drugs abuse too. These are drugs used to relieve stomach and duodenal discomfort brought on by over eating or the slowing of the digestive system of the elderly. Three are over 350 preparations of antacids; they come as salts, tablets, liquids, tablets and powders. In the geriatric this could pose a problem due to the reduce quantity of digestive enzymes produce because of the aging process.
Though grossly over looked caffeine in the form of coffee, alcohol, and tobacco are at times used to change the feeling of loneliness and depression many geriatric suffer.
In conclusion geriatric should be monitored by family members for the amount of over counter medication they use believe an excessive use of these by geriatric can be see as drug abuse.
