Craig Larsen had reached a point of desperation. His wife threatened to kick him out of their home as a result of his alcohol abuse. Larsen knew it was time to get help to save his marriage and get his life back on track.

“Every day was a struggle to get up and go to work and pretend everything was OK,” says Larsen. “My wife said, ‘If you’re drinking, you’re not welcome here.’ Before I entered treatment, I was living in a motel. At that point, I finally realized I needed to do something for myself.”

In April 2006, Larsen entered treatment through Fairview Chemical Dependency Services at University of Minnesota Medical Center, Fairview. At age 60, he is part of one of the fastest growing populations of substance abusers­—seniors.

It is estimated that 17 percent of those ages 60 and older have a substance-abuse problem, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Substance abuse by seniors often goes overlooked, says Dustin Chapman, Fairview Behavioral Services liaison. “Today’s seniors grew up in a time where alcoholism was a shameful, immoral thing. A lot of times, they don’t want to acknowledge their problem because of that stigma,” he says. “There’s also a bias toward seniors with substance abuse. Their children, neighbors, friends and even physicians may look at them and say, ‘I’d drink too, if I were that old,’ because of the negative connotation of old age.”

Lodging Plus
It’s important for people to know that seniors can recover from substance-abuse problems, says Lou Bardal, licensed alcohol and drug counselor. “Seniors can stay sober, and it’s not a waste of time for them to get treatment. Fairview has one of the few residential adult chemical dependency programs for seniors in the country,” she says. “Our adult Lodging Plus senior group has treated men and women as young as 45, to adults in their mid-80s,” she says.

The senior Lodging Plus program provides treatment and room and board for 20 days. Patients participate in lectures three times a day on topics such as post-acute withdrawal, depression, anxiety and communication; they also spend part of their day in group therapy. The group therapy approach can be helpful in addressing the stigma seniors often face and working through their addictions. “Seniors need a different pace in treatment,” says Chapman. “They need to focus on the here and now of their addictions, whereas younger patients need more reflection on their substance-abuse history.”

In addition, seniors share similar value systems and social norms which can help them relate to one another during the recovery process, he says.

“In group sessions, you hear the stories and struggles of others. Seeing that really helps you see it in yourself,” says Larsen.

Larsen reached his six-month anniversary of being sober in September, which is also National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery month. The annual observance celebrates people in recovery and those who serve them, as well as educates the public that recovery from alcohol and drug addiction is possible.

Larsen now spends two days a week volunteering in the alumni office in the adult chemical dependency program. “Recovery is possible,” he says. “Fairview represents a good path to begin your recovery. I’m thoroughly grateful for where I’m at today and, if in any way I can help others, I’m certainly willing to do that.”