The public is invited to a free educational event Oct. 23 in Little Rock to learn about opioids and non-opioid pain management alternatives in the older population.
The presentation will be held 5 – 7 p.m. at the Life Line Baptist Church, 7601 Baseline Road. For more information or to register, call Renee Steed at (501) 603-1969. Space is limited. Dinner will be provided to attendees registered by Oct. 18.
The program is presented by the Arkansas Geriatric Education Collaborative of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) and AARP. The collaborative is funded by a Health Resources and Services Administration grant of $3.7 million for a Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program.
Presenter Laura Spradley of UAMS will discuss how pain works, examples of opioids, non-opioid pain alternatives, state and local resources, and provide a comprehensive take home book.
In the United States, over 1,000 people are treated daily in emergency rooms for misusing prescription opioids. As of 2014, one out of every eight Americans who seek treatment for substance abuse is over 50 years of age.