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

Foreword xi General Barry McCaffrey Acknowledgments xvii Family Responses to Addicted Older Adults Addiction Isn't One of Life's Last Pleasures 3(3) A Few Things You Should Know 6(1) Wrong Thinking Blocks Right Action 7(6) Alcoholism Accelerates Aging 13(5) The Older Adult's Addiction Affects the Health of the Spouse (and Anyone Else Closely Involved) 18(4) When Helping Becomes Enabling 22(5) Ignoring the Problem Can Preserve the Problem 27(8) Alcohol, Prescription Drugs, and Addiction Chemical Dependency Is a Disease 35(3) Evidence That Alcoholism Is Genetic 38(3) Alcoholism Begins at Any Age 41(5) Identifying Alcoholism and Prescription Drug Abuse 46(7) Ways Older Adults Misuse Medications 53(7) Addiction to Prescription Drugs 60(6) Alcohol and the Older Woman 66(7) How to Help an Addicted Older Adult A Self-preserving Disease 73(2) Different Worldviews 75(2) Start with a Talk 77(5) A Conversation with an Addicted Older Adult 82(4) Involving the Family Physician 86(4) Take Advantage of a Crisis 90(2) Join Hands 92(4) Forget What You Think You Know 96(3) Actual Intervention Letters 99(6) Learn about Family Intervention 105(2) Plan, Plan, Plan 107(5) A Dramatization of an Intervention 112(7) Another Ending 119(6) Understanding Treatment for Older Adults What Exactly Is Treatment? 125(5) Special Treatment Needs of Older Adults 130(5) A Tour of an Older Adult Treatment Program 135(7) Groups Designed for Older Adults 142(9) Issues in Early Recovery Make Decisions Before Treatment Ends 151(6) Grief and Loss 157(5) Living Life Sober 162(11) Resources Older Adult Treatment Centers 173(3) Twelve Step Organizations 176(1) Internet Twelve Step Meetings 177(2) Recovery Resources 179(1) Resources on Aging 180(9) Books and Publications 189(2) Videos 191(1) Self-quizzes 192(7) Index 199(12) About the Authors 211