The aim of this study is to investigate professionals’ working experience with elderly people with substance use disorders and how drug or alcohol abuse affects their work with their clients. The most important areas of focus are professionals’ views on older clients’ substance and alcohol abuse, moral or ethical dilemmas in relation to work and the elderly’s needs for support and help according to professionals. To identify these problems, a qualitative method was used with semi-structured interviews, interviewing a total of 8 professionals in two nursing homes specializing in older clients with substance use disorder and a rehabilitation center aimed at ages 40 to 70. Interview data was analyzed with thematization and coding. Analysis of the material was carried out using theories such as care perspectives, ethics for social workers and ageism. The results of the study indicate that most professionals who work with this target group lack the knowledge of geriatrics combined with substance abuse knowledge. A comparison is drawn between the two institutions and their organizational rules regarding alcohol or drug consumption by clients. The study further highlights the staff's experience of finding themselves between organizational rules, professional rules and their own values ​​and beliefs. The results show that professionals are struggling with the lack of rules. In addition to that the results of this study show that stereotypical perceptions of older people tend to influence professionals as well as other social institutions that work with this target group. The study also addresses the issue of inadequate treatment efforts aimed at older people and a mapping of their alcohol and drug habits.