Best Alcohol & Drug Rehab Treatment Centers in Los Angeles, CA

When you or someone you love is a senior citizen that has developed a drug or alcohol addiction (or had a lifelong addiction), you will likely find yourself searching for the best drug and alcohol treatment facilities available. While this may seem like a straightforward idea to those who are not familiar with drug and alcohol addiction treatment, the reality is that there are a myriad of treatment program styles and options to choose from and not all of them are necessarily geared toward the needs or concerns of seniors.

There are many ways to go about finding the best drug and alcohol treatment facilities for seniors. The key is to know what you are looking for so you can narrow down your search and options and land on a treatment program and facility that best suits your needs or to the senior in your life dealing with a substance abuse or addiction problem.

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Be Sure the Programs are Non-Confrontational

Seniors have been through a lot in life simply due to the number of years they have been alive and on the planet. Because of this, drug and alcohol addiction treatment programs that are confrontational and aggressive in nature may not be the best choice for seniors.

Confrontational addiction treatment often involves methodologies similar to "tough love" mentalities or even much like that of a drill instructor in boot camp. Oftentimes, confrontational addiction treatment programs involve a great deal of physical exertion and activities (again, like military or boot camp).

This physically, mentally, and emotionally strenuous treatment philosophy does work for some people but is rarely conducive to treatment success among senior citizens.

Seniors are not in the physical shape and condition where they can or should do much of the strenuous physical activities required of such programs. They also will likely not respond as well to the confrontational approach as this will cause them to close off or become more guarded and less likely to hear what is being said to them.

There is a cliché and stereotype that seniors are stubborn, which of course, come from the fact that they have had the time to figure out what works for them in life and what they like and do not like in terms of their interactions with other people. This means that seniors will not want to be told that they are wrong or yelled at to deal with their addiction.

Non-confrontational treatment programs offer a more supportive treatment environment. Therapists and support staff use positive reinforcement and motivational techniques to basically serve as a guide or assistant in the process of overcoming an addiction. These are often patient-centered treatment programs that allow therapists to take a collaborative role with the recovering addicts they are working with to develop coping mechanisms, address the issues that led to the development of the addiction, and develop long-term sobriety strategies.

Look for Dual Diagnosis Treatment Options

One of the many factors that affect senior citizens when it comes to drug and alcohol addiction is their mental health. Older adults have higher rates of anxiety and depression than many other age and demographic groups. It is also often true that older adults develop substance abuse problems and addictions because of those mental health disorders as an attempt to self-medicate.

Because of this, most seniors would benefit more from an addiction treatment program that offers dual diagnosis treatment than one that only provides treatment for the addiction. Dual diagnosis treatment provides mental health services, psychiatric treatment (i.e. prescription mental health medications), and other treatments geared toward both mental health and addiction recovery in addition to traditional addiction treatment options.

By addressing both issues at the same time, the recovery process will be quicker and will likely be more successful than trying to treat one issue without addressing the other or treating one after the other.

Find a Program that Focuses on Family and Community

Senior addiction treatment programs at the best drug and alcohol treatment facilities that are most successful often have a significant focus on family and community involvement in the treatment process. The family therapy focus allows the senior in recovery to share the experience with the people that they love and care about the most.

This type of therapy and treatment also helps to give the senior with an addiction the chance to improve relationships with their loved ones and get the support system they will need to be successful in the long-term recovery process.

This is not to say that individual therapy sessions and group therapy sessions with other people with addictions are dismissed or not important. However, adding the family and community aspect to the treatment process will help to solidify the lessons learned and improve aftercare prospects.

Whether you are looking for the best drug and alcohol treatment facilities and treatment programs for seniors for yourself or for a loved one, these tips can help you to find success in your search.