Improving quality of life: substance use and aging.

This seventh Substance Use in Canada report explores alcohol and drug use in older adulthood (age 65 and older). Specifically, it: • Considers the impact of the aging population and increasing problematic substance use among older adults on health outcomes and the Canadian healthcare system; • Identifies gaps in knowledge about the harms associated with substance use and their impacts on healthy aging; and • Summarizes the best available evidence on effective ways to prevent, detect, assess and treat problematic substance use in the older adult population.