Changed patterns of consumption among ageing cohorts have resulted in an increase in older adults with substance use disorders (SUD) and unmet health and social needs. In ordinary long-term care (LTC), older adults with SUD are thought a source of moral distress for staff, who are drawn into situations they do not have the tools to handle.
The project will study how to introduce harm reduction to LTC, focusing on personalised outcomes that do not necessarily require abstinence. Nordic LTC, characterised by its emphasis on pragmatism, self-determination, and dignity, aligns closely with the principles of harm reduction, even though it has not traditionally been framed as such.
The project will bring together senior and early career researchers with ongoing and completed projects about support for older adults with SUD to develop a strong Nordic–Baltic research environment for shared knowledge and policy development, with three objectives.
- To compare and critically examine Nordic–Baltic policies on care, support, and treatment for older adults with SUD to identify successful policies and reform needs.
- To map the prevalence of older adults with SUD in Nordic–Baltic LTC and access to LTC and healthcare services.
- To develop a Nordic LTC model for harm reduction practices for older adults with SUD, incorporating the perspectives of users, families, care providers, and experts.
By building on the strength of the Nordic system of LTC and by taking a harm reduction approach, Nordharm will produce unique knowledge based on the lived experience of people ageing with SUD as well as those who work to provide care and support for them. The structure of the project, which includes collaborations with external partners and a clear plan for disseminating its findings, advice, and guidelines, will facilitate the development of a Nordic model of harm reduction for older adults with SUD and care needs.