Alcoholism and Recovery for Rural Older Adults

Alcohol remains the most prevalent substance of abuse among older adults, and a study published in JAMA Psychiatry found older adults are one demographic group experiencing a spike in alcohol addiction, reports Next Avenue . Furthermore, seniors who live in rural areas face particular challenges in accessing treatment and follow-up care. "The onset of alcoholism in this age group is usually due to a significant event," says the Caron Treatment Center's Sharon Matthew. "Job loss, the death of a spouse, kids leaving home. Sometimes they've been social drinkers but after retirement, they don't know who they are and have too much time on their hands. It's a perfect storm." Matthew also notes completing treatment programs can be difficult for rural seniors. "We may be sending them home to an area without adequate programming," she says. "They need to be in the care of a doctor who specializes in addiction medicine and understands aging. It's tough to find sober living places where their medical needs can be accommodated." Dr. Kathleen Grant with the Nebraska Center for Substance Abuse Research says rural communities themselves can present challenges. "There can be support for recovery in rural communities, but there can also be blindness to problems," she notes. "Privacy and denial are two sides of the same coin. We're often unwilling to ask hard questions, to probe older people about their alcohol use in the same way we might with younger people."