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Seniors Or Older Adults
According to research studies, a growing number of seniors or older adults has been struggling with substance abuse and addiction issues. Today, there are some specialized addiction treatment and rehabilitation programs that are focused on helping people in this population overcome their addiction related problems.
About Addiction Treatment for Seniors or Older Adults
Most of the seniors or older adults were born and grew up in an American culture that was marked by drug experimentation and free love - during the late 1940s to the early 1960s. as such, it is understandable that some of them struggle with substance abuse and addiction.
However, research studies report that alcohol is among the most common substance of abuse in this population. For instance, Psych Central released a report showing that more than 3 million older adults above the age of 65 years were addicted to alcohol, or were abusing the substances on a regular basis.
Unfortunately, many seniors might not realize that they need addiction treatment. this is why family members, loved ones, and other concerned parties should consider hosting an addiction intervention meeting. This can compel the addict to seek treatment from a licensed and accredited addiction rehabilitation facility.
How It Works
Most addiction treatment programs for seniors or older adults offer a wide variety of recovery options. These include but are not limited to medical detoxification, residential or inpatient addiction treatment, and outpatient treatment.
Since substance abuse and mental health disorders often tend to occur together - and these issues sometimes increase with advancing age - addiction treatment centers also provide dual diagnosis addiction rehabilitation services.
This service is also important because most of the seniors who are addicted to drugs and alcohol also abuse prescription medications - either to self-medicate for a mental health or medical disorder or simply because they are already addicted.
That said, addiction treatment for seniors or older adults often works effectively because it is sometimes effective to place someone in a treatment program that is comprised of their peers and others in similar or related life circumstances. Further, rehabilitation programs separate senior clients from younger ones for purposes of group counseling and support group programming.
In any case, the following are some of the treatment options that might be provided - based on the level of recovery care that the clients need:
- Addiction education
- Couples counseling
- Family counseling
- Group counseling
- Individual therapy
- Medical detox
- Outpatient treatment
- Preventative services
- Residential treatment
- Support group meetings
- Support services
Getting Help
Treatment will mostly start with a medical detox process designed to manage the withdrawal symptoms and drug cravings that arise when the seniors or older adults stop abusing drugs and drinking alcohol.
It will then be followed by intensive addiction treatment either on an inpatient or an outpatient basis. During this time, the clients will receive various evidence-based recovery services, including individual and group therapy and counseling.
Towards the end of the process, the addiction treatment program will provide the seniors or older adults with aftercare planning services to reduce their risk of relapse after checking out of the recovery center.
Questions? Need help?
If you or a loved one needs help for substance abuse or addiction, fill out the form below and a counselor will respond shortly.
