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Dear Savvy Senior,

I’m worried about my 72-year-old mother who has been taking the opioid medication Vicodin for her hip and back pain for more than a year. I fear she’s becoming addicted to the drug but I don’t know what to do.

– Concerned Daughter

Dear Concerned,

The opioid epidemic is a national problem that is hitting people of all ages, including millions of older Americans. Here’s what you should know and do to help your mother.

The cause

The main reason opioid addiction has become such a problem for people over age 50 is because over the past...