Older people who started to experiment with drugs in the 1960s as part of the hippy culture, and continue to use drugs, are set to pose a new challenge to those in social care jobs.

As reported by Community Care, people who continue to use drugs into their 50s and 60s are likely to suffer from chronic health problems and a reduced quality of life, which puts added strain on health care services.

It's been predicted by the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) that the number of people aged 65 and above who need treatment will double from 2000 to 2020.

"Our population is ageing and the people who started using drugs in the sixties are now reaching retirement age," said Brenda Roe, professor of health research at Edge Hill University. "It is clear that further research is needed to enable health and social care professionals to develop appropriate services for this increasingly vulnerable group."

The latest study, published in the latest edition of The Journal of Advanced Nursing, was based on interviews with 11 people aged 49 to 61 who were in contact with voluntary sector drug treatment services. They were positive about the services they received from voluntary drug services but had mixed experiences of primary and hospital care, with some feeling stigmatised by those in social care jobs.