The objective was to identify the profile of the elderly at the Center for Psychosocial Care - alcohol and other drugs in Ribeirão Preto SP, in the period of 1996 to 2009. The methodological design was the descriptive retrospective study based on secondary data. The sample consisted of 191 (3.2%) customer over 60 years assisted in the service. The sample was characterized by elders with a mean age of 64 years, predominantly male, with low educational level, 78.4% had primary school and 86% were retired. The most commonly drugs used were alcohol, marijuana, crack and cocaine. It concludes that the number of elderly who seeks for expert assistance is very low. Studies of this nature are important to assess the needs of this group in the clear growth as well as the use of psychoactive substances for planning effective practices.
Aged; Substance-related disorders; Substance abuse treatment centers
