Your father is your friend, your mentor and your hero. Watching him struggle with drug addiction can be one of the most difficult experiences that any adult child will have to face. But your father is not likely to seek help on his own. It is up to you to help him come to terms with his addiction, and find the professional treatment program that best meets his needs.
If your father is over the age of 50, chances are he is pretty well set in ways. Older men also have a tremendous amount of pride – and may be unwilling to admit that they have a problem with drugs or alcohol at all. These challenges make getting your father into a life-saving treatment difficult.
If your father has developed a drug addiction, it is absolutely imperative that he seeks treatment for his condition immediately. As men get older, their health becomes more and more frail. They need to be in the best physical condition in order to live a long, happy life. Drug use threatens this well-being, and can have a more devastating impact on an older man’s body than that for a younger individual. For this reason, it is important to get your father into a drug rehab center as soon as possible.
The rise in prescription drug addiction among elderly Americans has created a need for drug rehab programs that focus on the elderly. The treatment programs include the core components of standard treatment (such as detox, counseling and aftercare) but also deal with issues specific issues pertaining to seniors living with alcoholism or drug addiction, including: