Inside (6 articles)
Older adults find it difficult to access good, knowledgeable and age-appropriate treatment programs. Here are ten major reasons why seniors are under served in this area.
Late onset drinking: The causes and consequences, the differences between late onset and early onset drinking and the unique treatment needs of older alcoholics.
Why do older people become addicts? What drugs are they likely to abuse? What to do if you suspect your beloved senior citizen relative is using drugs.
It's a given that older adults and seniors do better in treatment programs with peers of a similar age, but what else do you need to look for to find a great addiction treatment program that's going to work well for an older adult or a senior?
Seniors do very well in alcohol rehab, and since the risks of drinking increase as we age, older women who drink too much need help right now.
Estimates put the number of alcohol dependent seniors in the millions, and only a fraction of these are getting the help they need. For a number of reasons, alcohol abuse in the elderly often goes undiagnosed; and too often, elderly alcoholics are never presented with the treatment options that could greatly improve their health and quality of life. Old age is not a valid reason for self destructive drinking, and families do not offer kindness to older relatives when they attempt to spare them the pain and difficulty of addictions treatment. The elderly deserve the same access to treatment as the rest of the population, and since alcohol is especially debilitating to older bodies, the time for any needed treatment is now.