Notice: Undefined index: HTTP_REFERER in /home/stparch/public_html/headmid_temp_main.php on line 4394
Newspaper Archive of
The Goldendale Sentinel
Goldendale , Washington
August 9, 2017     The Goldendale Sentinel
PAGE 4     (4 of 14 available)        PREVIOUS     NEXT      Jumbo Image    Save To Scrapbook    Set Notifiers    PDF    JPG
 
PAGE 4     (4 of 14 available)        PREVIOUS     NEXT      Jumbo Image    Save To Scrapbook    Set Notifiers    PDF    JPG
August 9, 2017
 
Newspaper Archive of The Goldendale Sentinel produced by SmallTownPapers, Inc.
Website © 2024. All content copyrighted. Copyright Information
Terms Of Use | Privacy Policy | Request Content Removal | About / FAQ | Get Acrobat Reader




4--AUGUST 9, 2017 GOLDENDALE, WASHINGTON seniors on Dear Savvy Senior, I'm worried about my 72-year-old mother who has been taking the opioid medication Vicodin for her hip and back pain for more than a year. I fear she's becom- ing addicted to the drug but I don't know what to do. Concerned Daughter Dear Concerned, The opioid epidemic is a national problem that is hitting people of all ages, including millions of older Americans. Here's what you should know and do to help your mother. The cause .... The main reason opioid addic- tion has become such a problem for people over age 50 is because over the past two decades, opioids have become a commonly prescribed (and often overprescribed) medi-cation by doctors for all different types of pain like arthritis, cancer, neurological diseases and other ill-nesses that become more common in later life. Nearly one-third of all Medicare patients--almost 12 million people--were prescribed opioid painkill- ers by their physicians in 2015. That same year, 2.7 million Americans over age 50 abused painkillers. Taken as directed, opioids can manage pain ef- fectively when used for a short amount of time. But with long-term use, people ,need to be screened-- around 5 percent of those treated will develop an addiction and abuse the drugs. Signs of addiction Your mother may be addicted to opioids if she can't stop herself from taking the drug, and her tol- erance continues to go up. She may also be addicted if she keeps using opioids without her doctor's consent, even if it's causing her problems with her health, money, family or friends. If you think your mom's addicted, ask her to see a doctor for an evaluation. Go to the family or pre-scribing physician, or find a specialist through the American Society of Addiction Medicine (see ASAM.org) or the American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry (AAAP.org). It's also important to he posi- tive and encouraging. Addiction is a medical matter, not a character flaw. Treatments Treatment for opioid addiction is different for each person, but the main goal is to help your mom stop using the drug and avoid using it again in the future. To help her stop using the drug, her doctor can prescribe certain medicines to help relieve her with- drawal symptoms and control her cravings. These medicines include methadone (often used to treat heroin addiction), buprenorphine, and naltrexone. After detox, behavioral treatments such as indi- vidual counseling, group or family counseling, and cogni-tive therapy can help her learn how to manage depression, avoid the drug, deal with cravings, and heal damaged relationships. For assistance, call the Substance Abuse and Men- tal Health Services Administration confidential help line at (800) 662-4357, or see SAMHSA.gov. They can connect you with treatment services in your state that can help your mom. Also, if you find that your morn has a doctor who prescribes opioids in excess or without legitimate rea-son, you should report him or her to your state medical board, which licenses physicians. For con- tact information visit FSMB.org. Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show. AOG0ffF ECLIP&17 LETTERS FROM T MMUNITY Get a grip, people These "once in a lifetime" events Pretty simple. And what hap- are really not. This all happened pened? Nothing. back in '79, so if you were born So, calm down, folks. Beyond The hot topic of the month shortly before that eclipse, your whatever man makes of this seems to be all about the upcom- life span would only be 38 years upcoming event, the world will go ing eclipse. To me it is just a until this one--not even average on turning. time when the day will slowly go middle-age for this day and age. I All that being said--my optom- dark for a few minutes and then feel very sorry for those who feel etrist was very adamant about slowly go back to the norm. I lived that this is the most exciting thing the danger of looking bare-eyed through the last one and plan-- to happen in their life time. (or even with sun-glasses) during God willing--to live past this one. I remember when the talk was this time. He told me that to do so I'm one of the few who take most how the world would come crash- will make irreparable damage, things without getting all dis- ing down around us when the causing blindness to the center of combobulated with what I have clock struck midnight escorting the eye. And, in my opinion, any no control over. Just go with the in the new millennium. "All com- reputable optometrist will give the flow, folks, puters are going to crash--every- safe glasses free to their patients. Every day we have something thing will shut down and there happen that will never happen will be a worldwide gridlock on Mildred E. Lykens again. This minutel hour, day, all communications!" Really? I Lyle month, year--all come and go and determined: "Man made comput- no one makes a big deal over it. ers, so man can fix comput-ers." Z Lo146T01A kttTPO lt>r..l LII'R. Idott A lt, l,,, THE GOLDENDALE SENTINEL OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF KLICKITAT COUNTY WASHINGTON ESTABLISHED 1879, PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY FROM OFRCES AT 117 W, MAIN STREET, GOLDENDALE WA 98620 . TELEPHONE I509) 773-3777' FAX (509) 314-4201 EDITORIAL: LOU MARZELES, EDITOR & PUBLISHER JARYD CLINE SPORTS EDITOR BRANDON CLINE. REPORTER MAX ERIKSON REPORTER EMAIL: NEWS@GOLDENDALESENTINEL.COM (NEws, EDITORIAL, OBITUARIES LE1-FERS) CALENDAR @GOLDENDALESENTINEL.COM (EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES) ADS @GOLDENDALESENTINEL.COM (DISPLAY ADVERTISING INFORMATION AND INQUIRIES) CLASSIFIEDS @GOLDENDALESENTINEL,COM (CLASSIFIED ADS INQUIRIES) LEGALS @GOLDENDALESENTINEL.COM (LEGAL AND PUBLIC NOTICES) BUSINESS AND OFFICE STAFF: LESLIE GEATCHES. CO-PUBLISHER. AD DESIGN KARIE ELLIS. CIRCULATION MANAGER AMY REEVES, AD SALES JOEL JENNINGS, BOOKKEEPING Deadlines: News and letters: Noon Monday Display Advertising: 5 p.m. Friday Classified Advertising: Noon Monday Legal Notices: 5 p.m. Friday Subscriptions: 1 Year, Goldendale Carrier: $32 2 Year, Goldendale Carrier: $52 Same prices within Klickitat County. Outside Klickitat County: $45, $75 USPS 2213-6000 WEEKLY. Periodical postage paid at Goldendale Post Office, Goldendale, WA 98620. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Goldendale Sentinel, 117 W. Main Street, Golden- dale, WA 98620-9526. Next Java Talic. Friday, August 18, 8 a.m., Sodbuster's FOR LETTERS Letters to the editor should be original and ( entinel at ' www.GoldendGleSentinel,com