It’s a headline guaranteed to catch your attention: Alcoholism, Drug Addiction Among Seniors Expected To Triple By 2020. Today’s elders are experiencing unprecedented levels of financial and social stress. Many are choosing to cope with this stress with unhealthy methods. Alcoholism and drug addiction are very real problems among the senior population.
Many of us only get to see our parents or other elders during the holiday season. The visit for Thanksgiving, Christmas or Hanukkah can provide the first clue that there’s something going on.
Help aging parents who may be struggling with addictions by watching for these clues:
The Signs of Addiction in Elders
The fact that your Mother enjoys holiday cocktails doesn’t necessarily mean she’s got a secret drinking problem. It’s important that we, as caregivers and loved ones, don’t jump to see problems where they don’t exist. At the same time, it’s important that we don’t ignore the very real changes in our loved one’s physical and emotional health that could be due to addiction.
Addiction is a disease. It is a disease your loved one may have had for many years, or that they may have developed now that they are older. There’s a tremendous amount of research being done on the mind-body connection and how that contributes to some people being trapped in the sticky web of addiction. Right now, we know that there are certain neurochemicals that are pleasurably stimulated when a person engages in an addictive behavior. It might be taking a drink, it might be taking painkillers or other prescription medication incorrectly, and it might be buying things on eBay: the behavior doesn’t matter to the addict’s brain as much as the pleasurable stimulation it receives.
Use your holiday visit to assess your elder’s behaviors and help aging parents who display signs of addiction. The signs of trouble can be very clear: finding your elder intoxicated repeatedly, for example, is a clue that there’s a problem. Other elders are more secretive about their drinking or medication abuse. That is why it is so essential to have alert, aware caregiver support focused on your elder’s needs. For eldercare advice regarding how to best approach these difficult issues, contact us at Bass Eldercare Resources LLC.
It’s A Blue Christmas Without You
Grief can have a very real role in an elder’s addictive behavior. Losing a spouse or life partner is always devastating. During the holiday season, the wounds are particularly raw. Even if you miss your loved one every day, the pain can be especially intense during the holidays. Elders who don’t have a strong support system really struggle to fill the void left by the loss of a loved one.
Alcohol and drugs won’t fill that void, but they can make the pain of the loss a little less sharp.
If you know your elder has experienced a significant loss, if they seem more isolated and alone than ever before, if they’re exhibiting signs of depression, or you see significant changes in their behavior, any addictive behavior can be a concern. This is a time when your loved one needs extra care and support. Holiday visits are a good start. Finding a compassionate, supportive way to encourage healthier choices through the grieving process is an essential next step.
It Is Never Too Late
It is never too late for your elder to have the best quality of life possible. If your loved one has been drinking, misusing prescription medication, or engaged in addictive behavior for most of their life, it may seem that change is impossible. However, it is possible for everyone to make healthier choices. Even if an addiction is not completely cured or eliminated, it can be possible to reduce the role of alcohol, prescription drugs and painkillers, and addictive behaviors in your loved one’s life.
Talking to your elder about their drinking, prescription drug misuse, or addictive behaviors such as gambling or shopping can be extremely difficult. It’s best to prepare with a skilled eldercare provider who can offer you experienced and compassionate eldercare advice and connect you with the resources needed to help aging parents face this problem. They don’t have to do it alone – and neither do you!
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Thi sis a great article Deborah. We speak about this often in the SPSARV (Special Program onSubstance Abuse and Related Violence) Office. Seniors are becoming one of the largest populations of drug abusers, but because they are often addicted to prescription drugs, it takes that much longer to deal with the issue. Thank you for all the work you are doing bringing issues regarding seniors to the forefront!
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