In brief about the project

The reasons for starting a project focusing on substance abuse problems among the elderly, that is, of Finns over the age of 60, were threefold:

1) the share of the elderly in the Finnish population is increasing rapidly;

2) the consumption of alcohol in Finland has increased in all age groups;

3) there are no substance abuse services targeted at those over the age of 65, and on the other hand, professionals working in the field of elderly care do not have expertise in substance abuse issues.

The four key NGO of the project operate in the field of addiction issues, and two of them also have experience in elderly care. In addition to these organisations, municipalities in the metropolitan area and in the more sparsely populated Eastern Finland have also taken part in the development work.

The client work undertaken during the project has involved 129 clients over the age of 60 who have a recognised drinking problem. With the help of these clients, new ways of carrying out addiction work in the homes as well as peer group activities have been developed.

The changes in the clients' situation have been assessed and evaluated comprehensively, in co-operation with the client and professionals in the service network, using process descriptions. The processes and quality of peer group activities have also been examined with the help of process descriptions and discussed in the project steering group.

Our project workers have managed to make small but long-lasting changes that help the clients to get back to a more normal daily life. Thus the main result of the project is that it is important to put the life of the elderly problem drinker in order before changes in alcohol use can occur. When the client has e.g. found new social contacts, a change in alcohol use is possible.

The project is funded by Finland's Slot Machine Association (RAY).