Cannabis use in a Canadian long-term care facility: a case study.

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Pharmacology
• Healthcare Policy

Background:

• Increased cannabis consumption among older adults (65+) post-legalization in Canada.
• Growing interest in therapeutic cannabis for chronic conditions and end-of-life care in this demographic.
• Need for Long-Term Care (LTC) facilities to adapt policies for resident cannabis use.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore how one western Canadian LTC facility managed policy changes for medical and non-medical cannabis.
• To understand healthcare providers' (HCPs) knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding cannabis in LTC.

Main Methods:

• Exploratory case study design (November 2021-August 2022).
• Environmental scan of LTC facility policies.
• Quantitative survey of HCPs (n=71) and qualitative interviews with HCPs and administrators (n=12).

Main Results:

• Significant knowledge gaps identified in cannabis dosing and treatment plan creation for residents.
• Over half of HCPs cared for residents using medical cannabis; a quarter for non-medical cannabis.
• Lack of knowledge was a major barrier (81.7%) to medical cannabis use in LTC.

Conclusions:

• LTC facilities must develop policies and services to accommodate resident cannabis use respectfully and evidence-informed.
• Addressing HCP knowledge deficits is essential for integrating cannabis into care.
• Global cannabis legalization necessitates proactive policy development in elder care settings.