Target Audience: This activity is designed for nurses, physicians, social workers, and home health workers or care coordinators. This activity is accredited for physicians, nurses, PAs, social workers, pharmacists and other health professionals or learners.

Webinar Description: Older adults are often overlooked in public health efforts to address the U.S. opioid epidemic. Yet, in 2018, approximately one quarter of older adults 65 years old and older were prescribed an opioid to treat pain, and were nearly 3 times more likely than younger populations between 20 and 24 years old. As we age, we are more likely to experience chronic pain at a greater severity as well as opioid-related adverse effects like confusion, falls, overdose, and death.

Patient education is key to reducing opioid-related harm. Many healthcare professionals and those that directly interact with older adults have a unique opportunity to educate patients on opioid risks and naloxone benefits. The goal of this webinar is to prepare home health workers to implement and improve overall patient access to harm reduction strategies, specifically naloxone. This activity will highlight the opioid epidemic and the mechanism of action and risks of opioids, particularly in older adults, and will discuss common misconceptions related to naloxone including side effects when administered to someone not overdosing from opioids, legal ramifications of administering naloxone to a stranger, and insurance coverage when accessing naloxone at the pharmacy.

Educational Objectives:

• Discuss the risks associated with opioid use, particularly in older adults
• Describe how to recognize an opioid-related overdose
• Explain how to access and use naloxone for the reversal of opioid overdoses

Continuing Education Information

In support of improving patient care, American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

Physician Designation Statement

American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry designates this enduring material for a maximum of 1 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Nursing Designation Statement

American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry is an approved provider of nursing continuing education through AAAP’s Joint Accreditation provider #4008192. This activity is approved for up to 1 CNE credits.

PA Designation Statement

American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry has been authorized by the American Academy of PAs (AAPA) to award AAPA Category 1 CME credit for activities planned in accordance with AAPA CME Criteria. This activity is designated for a maximum of 1 AAPA Category 1 CME credits. PAs should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation.

Social Work Designation Statement

As a Jointly Accredited Organization, American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry (AAAP) is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved under this program. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. AAAP maintains responsibility for this course. Social workers completing this course receive 1 continuing education credit.

Pharmacy Designation Statement

This course has been approved for 1 hour of pharmacy continuing education credit. The approval number issued is Universal Activity Number: UAN JA4008192-0000-22-002-H01-P

Other Health Professionals and Other Learners

Participants will receive a certificate stating this program is designated for 1 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. This credit is accepted by the AANP and the AAPA.