Am I Too Old for Recovery and Sober Living?
Tim Westbrook, MS
I help people learn to live a KICK ASS Sober Life! Mental Health & Addiction Treatment - Sober Living - Recovery Coaching - Podcaster - Speaker
This is a weekly series of articles to help people struggling with addiction and mental health who are seeking a KICK ASS SOBER LIFE! Brought to you by?Camelback Recovery.?(Subscribe here to get our latest or visit us on Youtube)
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Older adults may feel that recovery and sober living have passed them by. They may think that the opportunity to change their behaviors has been missed. They may feel that at an advanced age, change is pointless and burdensome. No matter what age a person is, they still have a lot of life left to live! Recovery is possible at any age, from 18 to 85 or older! Camelback Recovery in Arizona believes that everyone deserves the gifts of recovery. Anyone at any age can benefit from making better choices to improve their overall quality of life. When considering?sober living?for older adults, we here at Camelback believe we have the right elements to create a successful experience for all ages!
Strong and Stable Community in Sober Living
When considering sober living for an older adult, a stable community is one of the most essential elements for success. Sober living homes with shorter time commitments tend to have residents in-and-out. These homes are often referred to as “revolving door” homes and have new faces coming in and out of the home weekly or even daily. Short-term stays may work for some depending upon their needs in recovery. Older adults, however, may have been engaging in their addictions for decades! Changing behaviors after such a long time requires an environment with higher expectations of commitment.
Stable sober living communities can be built by having expectations of at least three to six months per stay. Some individuals stay longer depending upon their needs. Changing behaviors and habits can take a lot of time, especially if they have been in someone’s life for a long time. Ideas about sobriety and addiction have also changed tremendously over the years. Older adults may need more time to process the changes in societal attitudes towards drinking or drug use, as some of these behaviors may have accepted or simply not discussed years ago. The best chance for anyone to be successful in recovery is to engage in a long-term program with peers doing the same. After all, building a community and forging camaraderie does not happen overnight!?
Healthy communities are also built by instilling a feeling of togetherness among the staff and peers in recovery. Older adults tend to appreciate family-style community meals during their treatment. Meals have often been a means of bringing individuals together. Families may share breakfast to get started with their day or enjoy dinner together at the end of the day to catch up with each other’s lives. Work colleagues share each other’s company during meal breaks while on shift. Camelback Recovery believes in the practice of sharing healthy meals with our staff and residents to bring people together. Sharing meals can forge a sense of camaraderie among everyone within the sober living home.
Higher Levels of Accountability
Older adults may also require a high level of accountability. By doing drug testing regularly, everyone in sober living can benefit from being held accountable for their sobriety. Older adults, who may have been engaging in their addictions for decades, may have learned many ways of hiding their addictions. To be successful in sobriety, drug testing can help a person stop covering up or hiding their behavior. High levels of accountability are essential for older adults desiring recovery and sober living.
Support and Structure
Camelback Recovery provides high-levels of hands-on support for those in recovery. Support extends not only to our residents but our staff as well. Our house managers are supervised and guided by other administrators to ensure the highest quality of service for all our residents. We want to teach our house managers and staff to be the best supports they can be for our residents. We encourage growth and professionalism and hold our house managers to high standards. We provide them with the means for success. The success of our program leaders is passed on to people in early recovery, strengthening and reinforcing new,?healthy behaviors.
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Other Considerations
Some other considerations for older adults may be programs that offer weekly payment options. Due to older adults potentially having limited or fixed incomes, Camelback Recovery can accept weekly payments if needed. We encourage you or your loved ones to take a tour of our homes or read the testimonies of others. We also believe in discussing sober living with experts in the field to find the best fit for you. We have had a lot of success in introducing recovery and sobriety to older adults and believe that it is never too late to make a positive change in your life!
Camelback Recovery welcomes adults of all ages to enjoy the benefits and quality of life provided by sober living. We believe that everyone deserves the gift of recovery and that it is never too late to change! Older adults may face unique challenges in facing sobriety. They may have been engaging in their behaviors for many years and have a difficult time adjusting. They may have developed ways of covering up their actions that can be challenging to change. All adults, regardless of age, can benefit from programs with stable communities, high levels of personal accountability, and house manager oversight.
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