Aging and Addiction: Helping Older Adults Overcome Alcohol or Medication Dependence-A Hazelden Guidebook (Hazelden Guidebooks)

Addiction among older adults is a hidden and hushed problem. Signs and symptoms of alcohol or medication abuse can easily be mistaken for conditions related to aging. And even when friends or family members recognize signs of addiction, they often discount the need for intervention or treatment. With an estimated three million older Americans struggling with alcohol and drug misuse and abuse, Aging and Addiction is a much-needed resource. The authors, both experts in the field of addiction treatment and intervention, provide a respectful, definitive guide for recognizing and addressing substance abuse among older adults. Key topics include: understanding the relationship between aging and addiction, finding help for a loved one, and recognizing the treatment needs of older adults. Key features and benefits authors are widely recognized experts in the field of addiction addresses one of the nation's most underestimated, under treated health problems provides how-to-help information for family members and friends section 1. Family responses to addicted older adults -- Addiction isn't one of life's last pleasures -- A few things you should know -- Wrong thinking blocks right action -- Alcoholism accelerates aging - The older adult's addiction affects the health of the spouse (and anyone else closely involved) -- When helping becomes enabling -- Ignoring the problem can preserve the problem -- -- section 2. Alcohol, prescription drugs, and addiction -- Chemical dependency is a disease -- Evidence that alcoholism is genetic -- Alcoholism begins at any age -- Identifying alcoholism and prescription drug abuse -- Ways older adults misuse medications -- Addiction to prescription drugs -- Alcohol and the older woman -- -- section 3. How to help an addicted older adult -- A self-preserving disease -- Different worldviews -- Start with a talk -- A conversation with an addicted older adult -- Involving the family physician -- Take advantage of a crisis -- Join hand s -- Forget what you think you know -- Actual intervention letters -- learn about family intervention -- Plan, plan, plan -- A dramatization of an intervention -- Another ending -- -- section 4. Understanding treatment for older adults -- What exactly is treatment -- Special treatment needs of older adults -- A tour of an older adult treatment program -- Groups designed for older adults -- -- section 5. Issues in early recovery -- Make decisions before treatment ends -- Grief and loss -- Living life sober -- -- section 6. Resources -- Older adult treatment centers -- Twelve step organizations -- Internet twelve step meetings -- Recovery resources -- Resources on aging -- Books and publications -- Videos -- Self-quizzes. The authors, both experts in the field of addiction treatment and intervention, provide a respectful, definitive guide for recognizing and addressing substance abuse among older adults.Addiction among older adults is a hidden and hushed problem. Signs and symptoms of alcohol or medication abuse can easily be mistaken for conditions related to aging. And even when friends or family members recognize signs of addiction, they often discount the need for intervention or treatment. With an estimated three million older Americans struggling with alcohol and drug misuse and abuse, Aging and Addiction is a much-needed resource. The authors, both experts in the field of addiction treatment and intervention, provide a respectful, definitive guide for recognizing and addressing substance abuse among older adults. Key topics include: understanding the relationship between aging and addiction, finding help for a loved one, and recognizing the treatment needs of older adults.Key features and benefitsauthors are widely recognized experts in the field of addictionaddresses one of the nation's most underestimated, under treated health problemsprovides how-to-help information for family members and friends Addiction among older adults is a hidden and hushed problem. Signs and symptoms of alcohol or medication abuse can easily be mistaken for conditions related to aging. And even when friends or family members recognize signs of addiction, they often discount the need for intervention or treatment.

With an estimated three million older Americans struggling with alcohol and drug misuse and abuse, Aging and Addiction is a much-needed resource. The authors, both experts in the field of addiction treatment and intervention, provide a respectful, definitive guide for recognizing and addressing substance abuse among older adults. Key topics include: understanding the relationship between aging and addiction, finding help for a loved one, and recognizing the treatment needs of older adults.

Key features and benefits

• 
  
• authors are widely recognized experts in the field of addiction
  
• addresses one of the nation's most underestimated, under treated health problems
  
• provides how-to-help information for family members and friends

The authors, both experts in the field of addiction treatment and intervention, provide a respectful, definitive guide for recognizing and addressing substance abuse among older adults. Addiction among older adults is a hidden and hushed problem. Signs and symptoms of alcohol or medication abuse can easily be mistaken for conditions related to aging. And even when friends or family members recognize signs of addiction, they often discount the need for intervention or treatment. With an estimated three million older Americans struggling with alcohol and drug misuse and abuse, Aging and Addiction is a much-needed resource. The authors, both experts in the field of addiction treatment and intervention, provide a respectful, definitive guide for recognizing and addressing substance abuse among older adults. Key topics understanding the relationship between aging and addiction, finding help for a loved one, and recognizing the treatment needs of older adults.