Waterloo Wellington Older Adult Council
Substance Use and Older Adults Awareness Project
Materials to help health service providers and older adults build awareness and start to have effective conversations about substance use.
-Project hosted through the collaborative partnership with Waterloo Wellington older adults living with substance use, community partners and the Waterloo Wellington Older Adult Council, Substance Use and Older Adults Working Group.
- See me for who I am. My journey as an older adult with substance Use – Poster
This co-designed poster shines a light on the humanity of the local older adults pictured. They share their varied experiences and perspectives as unique individuals living across Waterloo Wellington. They have courageously shared their images and quotes to show the diversity of experiences, substances used and backgrounds of older adults from across their age cohort (mid-50s and up). Their stories encourage us to focus on building relationships with older adults by having sincere conversations about substance use that co-create effective support. We invite you to reflect on the stigma of substance use, and how it impacts older adults in our families, our friendships and our communities. Start a conversation: with a stranger, a loved one, a partner, a parent, a grandparent, a colleague, a friend, a neighbour, a politician, and health care providers. Let’s reduce the stigma and build compassionate communities together.
Free clickable downloads:
- See me for who I am Poster 2025 WWOAC – for digital use (e.g. screens, presentations, social media
- See me for who I am. My journey as an older adult with substance use. – printable (e.g. print posters for your agency, organization and local community)
- Righting Reflex:
Notably, foundational to this project is addressing the Righting Reflex. This is the impulse or desire we have as care providers to solve and set our version of “right” in someone else’s circumstances. This has been proven to have the opposite effect, often being perceived as unsolicited advice, scare-tactics, or prematurely enforced solutions that discourage further conversation. It makes it about our agenda, instead of pausing to listen to the older adult. We, the committee, acknowledge that the tangibles are important for moving forward with confidence. We encourage having initial conversations that involve holding space for disclosure, sitting in uncomfortable silence, and recognizing the value of addressing the righting reflex.
- Older Adults and Substance Use Awareness Project: Framing your Approach
Workshop to learn about having conversations about substance use with older adults
Audience: Health Service Providers
Date: Thursday, November 20th during National Addictions Awareness Week
Pre-register: Click the following link: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=4AnifohCdU6srs2rM7YT4Hf5YB1htpdHvpaPf9DSIoNUNEg3QjNSSkJRQ004SERTTThNNDVNOVVEWiQlQCN0PWcu
- Resources to Start Self-Directed Learning About Older Adults & Substance Use:
- Grounding with Local Data for Why We Developed This Project:
Trends in Alcohol Use by Older Adults in Waterloo Wellington – one page overview free clickable download
- Webinar (aired November 2024) via Geriatric Addiction Rounds:
Part I – Where Working Group members; Anna, Julie and Christine discuss our local data on the Impact of Alcohol Use by Older Adults in Waterloo Wellington: Video Conferencing, Web Conferencing, Webinars, Screen Sharing – Zoom
- Webinar (aired March 2025) via Geriatric Addiction Rounds:
Part II – Where Working Group members; Julie and Barbara, discuss substance use vs. substance use disorder with older adults, here: Geriatric Addiction Rounds – Zoom
- Additional resource consideration:
Overcoming Stigma Through Language: A Primer CCSA/CAPSA tool here: Tool Guide Overcoming Stigma Through Language: A Primer
- Contact:
To learn more about the project, and/or to find out about resources and next steps contact: Christine Platt, Geriatric Systems Implementation Facilitator, Waterloo Wellington Older Adult Council cplatt@cmhaww.ca
