While the opioid crisis is mostly associated with younger adults, older adults are increasingly at risk of overdosing from opioids. In 2021 to 2022, adults over 65 experienced a 10% increase in overdose death rates. Despite this, older adults often do not receive adequate care for opioid use disorder, including medications like buprenorphine and methadone. Advocacy groups are pushing for more attention to be given to this issue, urging facilities that receive Medicaid and Medicare payments to provide appropriate medical care. CMS has updated staffing guidelines to address substance use disorder in nursing facilities, but enforcement of these guidelines remains unclear.
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Long-Term Care Facilities Must Provide Addiction Care, Advocates Say
