Alcoholism is a serious condition that negatively impacts the lives of sufferers and the people around them. But people are different and unique. That said, alcoholism affects each individual depending on factors like their sex, circumstances, physical health, mental health, etc. One predominant factor is age.
Age will influence every aspect of your health and who you are as a person, so it makes sense that it will also influence how alcohol affects you. This post will explore what senior alcoholism is, as well as age-specific treatment. Treatment is an important step forward for people of all ages.
What Is Senior Alcoholism?
As the name suggests, senior alcoholism refers to alcoholism in older people. Senior alcoholism shares symptoms with alcohol abuse among other age groups. However, senior alcoholism has specific risk factors and symptoms that might go unnoticed.
One thing that you should understand is that as you get older, your tolerance for alcohol changes. A senior person will be more affected by alcohol than when they were younger, which means that they get drunk quickly. Also, seniors can be more susceptible to an addiction disorder; why is that?
This is primarily because your body mass decreases as you age. You eat less food, you do less exercise, and you lose both fat and muscle. If an older person keeps up the same drinking habits that they had as a younger adult, they are at risk of developing senior alcoholism. Older people also can’t recover as easily as younger people from alcohol, which causes worse hangovers and withdrawal symptoms.
Secondly, most seniors have health problems to contend with. They may have vertigo, which can be dangerous when combined with alcohol.
Some of the signs of senior alcoholism can be mistaken for ordinary signs of aging. For example, if an older person becomes more irritable, forgetful, and starts to neglect themselves or falls over more often, you may attribute this to the natural cognitive and physical decline of aging, or even an age-related neurological disorder.
If you are concerned about a friend or family member, there are other symptoms to look out for, including:
- Changes in mood, including a loss of interest in activities, depression, or hostility
- Confusion, memory loss, and other cognitive symptoms like slurred speech
- Regular drinking, particularly solitary or secret drinking
- Combining alcohol with medications
- Self-neglect
- An unusual amount of empty alcohol bottles throughout the home
While some of these symptoms might be a sign of other age-related chronic health conditions, senior alcoholism is something to consider. You should be especially vigilant if there is a history of regular alcohol use. Elderly people with a family history of alcoholism should consider alcohol rehab for seniors.
What Is Alcohol Rehab for Seniors?
Alcohol rehab is designed to help alcoholics overcome their addiction so that they can live healthier, happier lives. The same applies to alcohol rehab for seniors. The only difference is that the program is specifically designed for older adults, such as those over the age of 60.
Seniors have to deal with different issues than other adults. As well as the general stress of getting older, many seniors also contend with isolation, loneliness, physical disabilities, mobility issues, and a stigma surrounding mental health issues. Alcohol rehab for seniors will tackle these issues and ensure that the needs of older adults don’t go ignored.
Why Age-Specific Rehab Programs Are Beneficial in Treating Alcoholism
Everyone deserves treatment that is tailored to their needs, especially seniors. While a more generalized approach to treatment might be more effective than no treatment at all, age-specific rehab programs are more likely to succeed.
One of the biggest challenges that seniors face is isolation and a lack of community. As we get older, our loved ones may pass away. It’s harder to get out and meet new people. This is one of the many reasons that older people are likely to turn to alcohol.
An age-specific rehab program will help seniors to meet people who have some of the same challenges. It’s easier to relate to someone of the same age group. This also means that you can create a support system that might not have been possible with generalized treatment.
Also, older people are unlikely to respond to addiction treatment in the same way as younger people. They might be using alcohol for different reasons, which means that any therapy has to be geared to their specific needs. Seniors also may not need the same degree of structure in their program as younger people, as they are less likely to have issues with discipline.
When treating any patient, we need to consider their physical health as well as their mental health. Because older people may be taking medication for chronic health conditions, any newly prescribed medication to treat their addiction needs to be carefully planned in conjunction with their physician. Not only this, but seniors are more prone to severe withdrawal symptoms, meaning that a gentler rehab program might be more appropriate.
What Happens in Alcohol Rehab for Seniors?
The specific program that someone might undergo in alcohol rehab for seniors depends on their circumstances. This includes considering their mental health, physical health, and severity of their addiction disorder.
First, a potential patient will be assessed using a specific geriatric assessment. This assessment differs from other behavioral health assessments. It will involve a team of professionals trained in geriatrics, as well as the patient and their loved ones.
From there, alcohol rehab for seniors might involve an inpatient program designed to treat mental health problems and/or substance abuse disorders. This inpatient program uses a clinical approach and tackles both the physical and mental health issues patients might have in order to safely and effectively treat them.
If a patient requires inpatient services, they will then enter transitional services to help them get the support they need in the community.
A senior patient might benefit from an outpatient program, either instead of or after an inpatient treatment. This includes group therapy and structured treatment designed to help seniors with their specific needs.
Seniors across the world suffer from a multitude of age-related deterioration, but many suffer due to the struggles of addiction. At Alvarado Parkway Institute, experts and trained specialists can help diagnose and treat the source of the problem. Contact our office today to begin rediscovering your wellness.
