Growing Old with Ice: A Review of the Potential Consequences of Methamphetamine Abuse in Australian Older Adults

This review analyzes contemporary literature in the context of Australian aging methamphetamine users, service response, and challenges to provision of care to this population. The article focuses on Australian literature with comparisons made with trends arising from international scholarship. Searches of the CINAHL, ProQuest, and Scopus electronic journal databases were performed in early 2014 as part of a wider study investigating dual diagnosis in older adults. Methamphetamine abuse is common in individuals with comorbid mental illness. The literature presented in this review outlines potential neuropsychological and persistent psychiatric sequelae associated with the use of methamphetamine, along with a number of concerning behaviors prevalent in individuals with comorbid human immunodeficiency virus-positive status. Despite an abundance of literature discussing methamphetamine use in adult populations, this is the first review exploring methamphetamine use in the context of aging and older adult mental health. Contemporary literature suggests that methamphetamine dependence will be a significant challenge for services that cater to older adults, requiring further research to fully assess the impact this cohort will have on the healthcare system.