Older people are under represented in alcohol and other drug treatment. Physiological changes and increased isolation put the elderly at increased risk of developing substance use issues and being particularly vulnerable to their deleterious effects. Academic literature widely recommends developing older person specific treatment options.

Currently in Victoria, there are no services specifically targeting older persons for AOD treatment or offering treatment options designed to support older people. In 2008, a Victorian Travelling Fellowship was awarded to undertake a study tour of older person specific AOD treatment services in the United States and Canada.
Heading into the fellowship the hypotheses based on current available literature were that:
•Older person drug treatment requires its own set of core knowledge, skills and competencies.
•Older person drug treatment is different from general drug treatment
•Older people prefer drug treatment tailored to meet their needs
•Older people are motivated to change their behaviours by different things to younger people.
•The ways in which services are currently marketed does not attract older persons.
•Older persons do not see themselves as suitable to attend those services that currently exist.

This presentation will report on the findings of the tour and describe what can be done to support older adults into AOD treatment.