Alcohol, other drugs and older adults toolkit
A toolkit Local Drug Action Teams use to prevent alcohol and other drug harm in older adults. It supports awareness raising and education about the risks of alcohol and medicine interactions as people age, and links older people to programs that support their mental health and wellbeing.
Preventing alcohol and other drug harm in older adults
How communities can reduce alcohol and other drug harm in later life.
Why focus on older adults?
Research shows that some older adults are unaware of the risks of drinking alcohol. Many also know little about risky interactions between alcohol or other drugs and prescription medications, which can affect their health.
The toolkit focuses mainly on people of retirement age, but it can be used with adults from age 50.
How Local Drug Action Teams use it
Local Drug Action Teams use this toolkit to run awareness raising activities and education programs that:
- explain the health risks of alcohol and other drug use as people age
- link older adults to programs that support their mental health and wellbeing.
For activities focused on medicines, see the Pharmaceutical drugs and your community toolkit.
Where it fits in the LDAT program
Local Drug Action Teams use this toolkit as part of a Prevention Community Action Plan (CAP). It works well alongside community approaches and consulting your community.
How Local Drug Action Teams work with older adults
- Camp day out for Australian-Indian senior citizens: around 25 members of a seniors club in Wyndham, Melbourne, helped plan a camp day to build physical activity and social connection.
- Adelaide’s Radio Italiana 531: this LDAT set out to educate older Italians about the risks of prescription medications, then widened its work to include young people and families.
What’s in the full toolkit
The full toolkit gives Local Drug Action Teams practical guidance, including:
- key points for Local Drug Action Teams
- drawing on existing programs
- guiding principles
- considerations for planning and delivery
- key activity and measuring success
- key steps.
If you’re part of a Local Drug Action Team, you can use the full toolkit on the LDAT platform.
Partner with a Local Drug Action Team
Local Drug Action Teams work with local organisations, such as schools, councils, sporting clubs and health services, to prevent alcohol and other drug harm in their communities. See where LDATs are on our map, and if your organisation would like to partner with one, contact us.
Last reviewed: 13 October 2026