Un 63% de los profesionales sociosanitarios admite no saber cómo actuar ante un caso de adicción en personas mayores
63% of social and healthcare professionals admit they don't know how to handle cases of addiction among older adults
The project , led by the University in collaboration with ANTOX and Lares Navarra, highlights the lack of training protocols to address this growing problem, which is caused by loneliness and stressful life factors
Photo by ManuelCastells/From left to right: Elena Gutiérrez, Idoia Pardavila, and Blanca Martínez
23 | 04 | 2026
62.9% of social and healthcare professionals in Navarre admit they do not know how to respond to cases of addiction among older adults, and 100% call for training . These findings come from the conclusions ofproject , an initiative led by researchers from the University of Navarre in collaboration with the association and Lares Navarra.
Experts emphasize thatearly detection and coordination among professionals are two of the main keysto addressing addiction in older adults. However, the lack of preparedness in the social and healthcare system results in “delayed detection, exacerbated by the absence of adapted protocols,” statesIdoia Pardavila, professor at the School of Nursing, who adds that “the role of nurses, geriatricians, pharmacists, and direct staff is core topic identifying risk signals and activating a coordinated response.”
On the other hand, a discrepancy has been detected regarding the risk factors for these addictions: while older adults identify loneliness as the main factor,social and healthcare professionals state that the main cause is stressful life events.
The project emphasizes that this is a largely invisible problem. “Addictions among older adults are a more prevalent reality than is often recognized, so there is a gap between the magnitude of the problem and its social and healthcare recognition,” explainsIdoia Pardavila, who warns that the collective imagination continues to associate these behaviors with the younger population.
Alcohol, tobacco, or hypnotics
The difficulty in intervening in a timely manner is closely related to this invisibility. “Many older adults do not perceive their consumption as problematic, especially when it comes to alcohol, tobacco, or prescription medications, such as hypnotics, which delays their seeking of financial aid, financial aidstatesBlanca Martínez, a psychologist at ANTOX and project principal investigator.
Added to this is thelack of data on people over 64, which limits the capacity for analysis and public policy planning and contributes to the problem remaining outside the institutional and media spotlight.”
Faced with this scenario, they advocate for acomprehensive approach that strengthens coordination among different levels of care to improve early detection and ensure more effective interventions. “In this vein, it is necessary to review the prescription pathways for psychotropic medications, improve patient follow-up, and develop joint strategies among professionals,” notesIdoia Pardavilla.
Theproject , developed using an approach , has brought together experts from the Schools Nursing, Pharmacy and Nutrition, and Medicine at the University of Navarra. Meanwhile, experts from the School of Communication worked to convey the results to the public. “Communication has been the key to transforming knowledge into social impact,” notesElena Gutiérrez, who highlights the importance of raising awareness among both older adults and their social circles.