Alcohol Detox for Elderly People

For anyone quitting alcohol, rehab experts recommend detoxing under the close care of medical professionals. During alcohol detox, there is always potential for medical complications, even for younger drinkers who are otherwise perfectly healthy. but while younger people can sometimes detox at home-preferably with doctor approval-for older adults it is much more important to seek inpatient treatment at least through the detox stage. Elderly people are at much greater risk of complication, and it is important to have instant access to a doctor should a problem arise.

Complicating factors

There are several factors that make alcohol detox more difficult for elderly people, including:

• Longer length of use: Some elderly alcoholics have been abusing alcohol for decades, sometimes many decades. After such a long time of regular abuse, the body may be extremely dependent, and detox may take several days longer than usual.
• Stronger psychological dependence: When a person has been abusing alcohol for most of their lives, it may be hard to imagine living without it. Younger people who have not been drinking for too long can at least remember what it was like to be sober. Elderly people often have more trouble making the transition.
• Medications: since older adults often take medication for various health issues, extra care must be taken when it comes to alcohol detox.
• Other health problems: many older people have concurrent health problems that can complicate the alcohol detox process.
• The aging body: Younger bodies tend to bounce back with ease. Elderly people have more difficulty recovering and healing, and as a result the detox stage can take much longer for them.

When even one of these factors plays a part in one’s alcohol detox, it is crucial to get professional inpatient treatment.

Recovering Safely

For elderly people going through alcohol detox, doctors tend to take greater care every step of the way. in the beginning, the doctor will likely want to do extensive tests to detect any medical problems the patient may not be aware of. meanwhile, the doctor must carefully calibrate any medication regimen the alcoholic may take through detox, especially if the patient already takes other medications.

Once the process begins, it is generally expected that an elderly person’s alcohol detox will take at least two or three days longer than normal. It varies for everyone, however, so the patient will be carefully monitored by the doctor throughout all stages of detox. and since the urge to drink is so strong in many elderly alcoholics, the doctors will also carefully monitor the patient’s mood and behavior.

All in all, elderly alcoholics should never try to undergo alcohol detox on their own. though many resist seeking treatment in full-time care facilities, it is important for the family to be supportive while also urging doctor-guided, inpatient recovery.

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