If you know a senior who is suffering from addiction, it’s essential to find a comfortable place where they can begin their road to recovery. While on the look for senior rehabilitation centers near you, there are a few things you need to know. Addiction recovery for seniors is not as straightforward in seniors as it is for young people. Hence, senior recovery programs should offer certain unique services.
How Common is Addiction in Seniors?
A study predicts that the level of substance use disorder in seniors would have skyrocketed from 2.8 million in 2006 to about 5.6 million in 2020. Having been born in a generation where substance abuse took a turn for the worst, many seniors grew up abusing substances.
While many seniors have been struggling with addiction for most of their lives, others simply picked up the habit later in life. In fact, a sizeable number of elderly people became addicted to prescription drugs. Unfortunately, not all seniors who suffer from addiction are in senior rehab centers.
Also, most seniors aren’t always quick to admit their addiction problem. Many already suffer from various conditions that mimic substance abuse symptoms. This makes it increasingly difficult for health care workers to properly evaluate seniors and send them to elderly rehabilitation centers.
Addiction Treatment Options For Seniors
If you’re a senior suffering from addiction, the good news is that you can get help. However, the first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem. When you have moved past the denial stage, you can then sit down with a physician to discuss the best treatment option for you. For seniors who are already undergoing treatment for different conditions, the goal is to integrate substance abuse treatment with your other healthcare needs.
The most effective treatment option for seniors with addiction is inpatient treatment. It is a residential treatment program that requires seniors to live in a rehab facility for the elderly during a period of time. The duration of this treatment depends on several factors, including the severity of the addiction and the patient’s medical history. An inpatient elderly rehabilitation program provides 24hrs care for seniors. This includes emotional support, family counselling, and medical care. With round-the-clock support and care, seniors can be closely monitored and given proper addiction treatment.
Another option is an outpatient treatment program. This treatment option doesn’t require seniors to live in a rehab facility for elderly people. The treatment features similar elements to inpatient treatment. The most significant difference ia that seniors are not required to live in the treatment facility. Also, this program is considerably cheaper than the inpatient treat, although the absence of round-the-clock monitoring makes it less effective.
How To Choose the Best Senior Rehabilitation Center?
When choosing the best rehab centres for elderly people, there are certain things you should look for. Most seniors aren’t exactly thrilled about checking into rehab centres. With many seeing themselves as role models to the younger generation, it’s normal for them to feel a bit embarrassed going into a rehab program.
This is why it’s important to choose senior rehab centers that offer the best rehab services. Before making your choice, here are the factors to consider:
- Rehab Centers with Age-Specific Programs: A senior recovery center should have age-specific programs that cater to seniors of a certain age. These programs should provide a holistic recovery routine that covers a senior’s physical and psychological treatment.
- Closer to Home: As earlier stated, most seniors don’t like inpatient treatment that requires them to leave their homes. While you’re committed to choosing facilities that provide the best rehabilitation for elderly people, be sure to consider their closeness to home.
- A Facility that Shows Respect for Seniors: While you Google ”senior rehabilitation centers near me” ensure you’re choosing a facility that shows respect to seniors. They should have caregivers and staff who show care and genuine concern towards a senior’s wellbeing.
- Treatment Method: Be sure to choose senior rehab facilities that provide a well-rounded treatment program. This should include physical, mental, social, and emotional treatment.
If you know seniors who are showing symptoms of addiction, don’t hesitate to talk to them and encourage them to get help as soon as possible. The earlier they get help in rehab for seniors program, the better.