Older Adults
Even if you’ve been smoking for decades, there are benefits to quitting.
Quitting smoking is the best thing you can do for yourself at any age. Studies show that when you decide to quit at an older age, your chances of success can still be quite high.
These are some things you can expect if you quit now:
- Your health will improve.
- Your lungs will work better.
- You will think more clearly and may prevent dementia.
- You may live longer.
The quit smoking strategies that work for younger people can work for you too. We support you so that you can do these things:
- Get motivated
- Make a plan
- Manage cravings
- Stay quit
There are several ways to quit:
- Stop suddenly without help. That’s called ‘going cold turkey’.
- Get support from a counsellor.
- Make a plan. You can get help from your healthcare provider or services like Tobacco Free Nova Scotia to do this.
Medical quit aids
There are some medications that can help you quit. You need a prescription to get them. You can get a prescription from your healthcare provider. If you have a private drug plan, ask them if they cover medical quit aids.
If you are a member of the Seniors’ Pharmacare program, they may pay for your medical quit aids. If you are NOT a member, find out how you can join:
Call toll free 1-800-544-6191 Monday to Friday
OR
Visit Seniors’ Pharmacare Program
As a member of Seniors’ Pharmacare, they will reimburse you for up to 12 weeks of standard therapy per year. If you need a second course of therapy, your prescriber will have to send a special authorization request to Pharmacare.
The quit smoking strategies that work for younger people can work for you as well. We offer support to help you:
