The state of Maine has the distinction of having the highest median age of its population in the country. That has led to scientists and addiction experts expressing concern about the increase in prescription drug abuse in the senior population in Maine.
"They consume one-third of the prescriptions but represent only 13 percent of the population," said Lenard Kaye, the director of the University of Maine’s Center on Aging.
According to Kaye, unintentional drug abuse in seniors is a significant problem, but so is intentional self-medication by seniors looking for a way to cope with death and loss in their lives.
"They’re more likely to be anxious and depressed than the population at large. Their losses include the loss of family and friends and neighbors, but also the loss in their health, in some cases, and the decline in income."
A recent published study projects that the number of people over the age of 50 abusing prescription drugs in the United States is going to increase by 190 percent, from about 900,000 in 2001 to almost 2.7 million by 2020. This disturbing trend is evident in Maine, especially with the abuse of a class of drugs known as benzodiazepines.
"We know that there’s a rise in the number of older adults involved in auto accidents where prescription drugs have been evidenced," said Kaye. "We know that the presence of prescription drugs has a lot to do with the high rate of falling on the part of older adults, both in their homes and on public streets."
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