Rarely a day goes by without a story about how the opioid crisis is devastating families and our communities. It is a problem that we have to address and work together to solve. One thing I have noticed is that it impacts all walks of life and all ages and does not discriminate.

Seniors are often overlooked and not necessarily seen as an "at-risk" population, but nearly 1 in 3 seniors on the Medicare Part D program are being prescribed opioids. However, there is little education provided to seniors to understand not only the risks but also what alternatives may be out there to deal with pain issues.

Rep. John Faso, R-Kinderhook, is working to address this shortcoming by introducing a bill with Democrat Vermont Congressman Peter Welch that would add a section to the "Medicare & You" booklet that is given to all seniors.

His legislation, H.R. 5685, the Medicare Opioid Safety Education Act, is a simple but effective step to help ensure seniors and their families have easy access to information that will educate them about opioids, alternative treatments and warning signs when taking these powerful drugs. Faso has led on many different issues to combat the opioid crisis and this bill is another example of his hard work to make a difference.

Sally Hogan

Kinderhook