Smoking cessation 2: supporting older people to quit

Ross, Louise
Council, City

Author Louise Ross was stop-smoking service manager at Leicester City Council and is now a freelance smoking cessation consultant.

This article has been double-blind peer reviewed

Nursing Times 116(4):p 38-39, April 2020.

Abstract

Older people who smoke may feel it is too late in life for quitting to be worthwhile, but there are many compelling reasons why nurses should encourage them to do so. This article, the second of five on smoking cessation, outlines the value and effectiveness of stop-smoking advice and interventions for older people. It offers advice on how to approach the subject with older patients and reinforce the smoke-free message in a non-judgemental way.

In this article…

Details of the high health and social burden of smoking in older people
Why it is never too late for older people to quit
How to motivate people to take the first step