THE GRAYING OF AMERICA IS BEING REFLECTED IN THE NATION'S DRUG CRISIS.

EVEN AS OVERDOSE DEATHS DROP, MILLIONS OF AGING, FORMER DRUG USERS ARE LIVING WITH LONGTIME -- LONG-TERM HEALTH PROBLEMS.

REPORTER: A GENERATION OF ADDICTS WHO GREW UP IN THE 1960'S AND 1970'S IS AGING.

WHETHER THEY HAVE GOTTEN CLEAN OR THEY ARE CONTINUING TO USE, MANY ARE LIVING WITH COMPROMISED HEALTH.

MORE THAN 2 MILLION AMERICANS OVER THE AGE OF 65 HAS SUBSTANCE ABUSE DISORDERS.

THAT IS MORE THAN A TENFOLD INCREASE IN A DECADE.

MANY ARE SEEKING SUPPORT FROM A HEALTH CARE SYSTEM GRAPPLING WITH US FOR THE FIRST TIME.

WE SPOKE TO A NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN RECOVERY ABOUT HEALTH CHALLENGES THEY HAVE FACED GETTING OLDER RELATED TO SUBSTANCE ABUSE.

>> I AM 70 YEARS OLD.

>> I AM 58 YEARS OLD.

>> I AM 62 YEARS OLD.

>> I AM 72 YEARS OLD.

>> I WILL BE 62 YEARS OLD THIS YEAR.

>> I DO HAVE LIVER ISSUES FROM ALCOHOL ABUSE.

>> I HAVE HEPATITIS C. WHICH IS PROBABLY FROM MY INTRAVENOUS DRUG USE.

>> I HAVE ISSUES WITH IRREGULAR HEART.

, FATIGUE, DIGESTIVE ISSUES.

NOSEBLEEDS.

>> BECAUSE OF MY DRUG USE I LOST 40 POUNDS.

>> I HAVE NEUROPATHY IN MY TOES.

THAT HAS GOTTEN BETTER.

RIGHT NOW MY EYES ARE GETTING BLURRY.

MIGHT YEARS, I HAVE TINNITUS.

ARTHRITIS.

AND THEN FROM THE INTRAVENOUS DRUG USE, MY LEG IS SO MESSED UP.

>> I DON'T USE ANY KIND OF OPIATES FOR THE PAIN.

I JUST DEAL WITH IBUPROFEN AND HANDLE IT.

>> JUST BEING AN ADDICT IN GENERAL, THERE IS STIGMA.

>> THEY SEEM TO HAVE A DIFFERENT ATTITUDE.

WE ARE NOT BAD PEOPLE TRYING TO GET GOOD.

WE ARE SICK PEOPLE TRYING TO GET WELL.

WE CAN GO ON AND THRIVE AND HAVE BEAUTIFUL LIVES IF WE TAKE IT SERIOUSLY.

AND MAKE RECOVERY A REAL COMMITMENT IN OUR LIVES.

REPORTER: SHE IS THE AUTHOR OF A RECENT ARTICLE ABOUT A GENERATION OF DRUG ADDICTION SURVIVORS.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

WE HEARD A SECOND TO GO FROM A WOMAN WHO SAID WE ARE NOT BAD PEOPLE TRYING TO GET GOOD.

WE ARE SICK PEOPLE TRYING TO GET BETTER.

IS THAT A PERCEPTION THAT THE PEOPLE YOU'VE TALKED TO HAVE ENCOUNTERED WHEN THEY TRY TO ENTER THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM AND GET MEDICAL CARE FOR ISSUES RELATED TO THEIR ADVANCING AGE?

>> THE STIGMA ATTACHED TO THIS GENERATION OF DRUG USE SURVIVORS IS PARTICULARLY STRONG.

THEY WILL POSSIBLY BE GOING TO THE SAME HOSPITAL THEY HAVE BEEN TO 20 TIMES BEFORE AND THEY ARE OFTEN TREATED AS IF THEY ARE PEOPLE WHO CANNOT GET BETTER AND THEY ARE A DRAIN ON THE SYSTEM.

OFTEN WHEN YOU WILL SEE IS A LOT OF DELAYED CARE BECAUSE FOLKS DECIDE THEY ARE NOT GOING TO SHOW UP ANYMORE.

WHEN YOU GET TO BE 72 YEARS OLD AND YOU HAVE USED SERIOUS ILLICIT DRUGS FOR YOUR LIFE, THOSE ISSUES BUILD UP.

REPORTER: WHAT PROBLEMS DO PEOPLE TEND TO HAVE?

I WONDER IF THERE ANY COMMONALITIES YOU HAVE COME TO UNDERSTAND.

>> THIS IS A GROUP THAT BY VIRTUE THAT THEY EXIST ARE REALLY SURVIVORS.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT COMPLICATES THEIR HEALTH IS THEY WERE USING FENTANYL ON THE STREET.

THEY HAVE BEEN HOMELESS FOR AN EXTENDED TIME.

OFTEN THOSE SITUATIONS HAVE WORN ON THEIR HEALTH IN GENERAL.

THEY HAVE THE KIND OF DISEASES THAT COME ABOUT FROM INTRAVENOUS DRUG USE.

THEY ARE DEALING WITH WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO THEIR LIVERS.

THEY HAVE LOST THEIR TEETH.

YOU LOSE YEARS OF YOUR LIFE TO DRUG USE.

THERE'S A LOT YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED.

REPORTER: IS THIS HEALTH CARE SYSTEM EQUIPPED TO HELP THESE PEOPLE IN THE WAYS THEY NEED HELP?

>> THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM RIGHT NOW IS OVERBURDENED AS IT IS.

WE HAVE NOT REALLY RECOVERED FROM THE PANDEMIC.

THEY MIGHT JUST NOW BE DECIDING TO TRULY ENTER RECOVERY.

REPORTER: BECAUSE A LOT OF THOSE PEOPLE ARE DEALING WITH A LANDSCAPE THAT IS VERY DIFFERENT FROM A LOT OF BABY >> >> BOOMER ERA FOLKS.

THAT IS RIGHT.

THEY COME FROM A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT GENERATION.

I HAVE SEEN SOME OF THAT PLAY OUT AS WELL.

REPORTER: THAT IS SO INTERESTING.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> THANK YOU.

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