03 Jul Alcohol and Your Loved Ones: Tips for Those Who Care for Seniors with an Addiction
Alcohol can enhance a wide variety of celebrations, and it can help you relax after a stressful day. Unfortunately, alcohol isn’t always so innocent. For those who are dealing with alcohol and loved ones who have a problem, getting help isn’t always easy.
Here are a few of the steps you need to take if someone you love has an alcohol addiction.
Find support
The first thing you should do is find the right support. Not only can alcohol take a toll on the person with the problem, it can also take a toll on the people who care for them.
Groups, like Al-Anon, exist to help provide friends and family with support. You can also open up about the problem of alcohol with other loved ones. With a large support system, you can figure out what, if anything, you should do.
Control what you can
You may be concerned about your loved one and want to fix the problem, but it’s important to understand that you may not get them to stop. That’s especially the case if mom or dad has been drinking for a long time.
Instead, focus on controlling what you can. That might mean checking in on them throughout the week or taking the keys to the car away. You might also consider going with them to their doctors’ appointments to discuss the effects of alcohol on their health.
Getting support from a home healthcare aid can be helpful too. They can help maintain your loved one’s health and check in on them regularly. The extra companionship can sometimes be enough to reduce the habits of alcoholic loved ones. Call or fill out our online form to learn more about how Life & Health Care may be able to help.