Clinical Considerations for Mature Clients Part 1 by Charlie Graham

What is the Mature Client Searching for in Addiction Treatment?

 
I do not know about you, but I would like for the last years of my life to be the best years of my life. I would like, as most people do, to go quickly, in my sleep, at night, painlessly, after having left a legacy of service to others and leaving the world a better place than when I entered it. The fact is, this cannot be done without being clean and sober. At Sober Living by the Sea in Newport Beach, California, there are a couple of programs that have the ability to cater to the needs of the mature client seeking help for addiction. The Reflections and Celebrate Recovery Programs have structured treatments that understand the specific needs and considerations that make getting clean and sober later in life a little different.

For members in good standing of the “baby boomer generation” it is important to remember that between 1946 and 1964 over 75 million Americans were born. This was the end of WWII and the beginning of a period of optimism. When 2011 arrives in two short years, the baby boomers will start hitting age 65. Eight thousand Americans now hit 60 every day and baby boomers hit age fifty every eight seconds. Twenty percent of all Americans are now over age 65 as opposed to fifteen percent in the year 2000. Older Americans live primarily in the states of California, New York, Texas, and Florida. This is the age of the “sandwich generation” where the responsibility of caregiver refers to giving care for both children and parents at the same time. Our counselors are specially trained to understand and work with these special relationships.

There are even new terms to describe those in the oldest age categories: centenarians for those over 100 and supercentenarians for those 110 or older. There are currently 76 validated supercentenarians (70 females and 6 males) and over 200,000 centenarians. In looking at the life of Elma Corning, who was 112 and lived in Hollywood, California until five years ago, we find several factors that allowed her to become a supercentenarian. Several of these factors include: that she had a positive mental attitude, acting as if no one ever told her she was older. Also she cared about how she looked and dressed herself impeccably every day. She was also connected to something bigger than herself as evidenced by her faith in God, active participation in church activities, and diligent following of the Los Angeles Dodgers – she would have been proud of them this season. She also kept mentally stimulated by being an active member of the Resident’s Council and baseball statistics and standings throughout the season which was also a means of tracking time. Ms. Corning maintained physical fitness through the exercise of carrying her own luggage when she travelled and climbing the stairs to her second floor apartment. Above all, she had a structure to her life of getting up, getting dressed, being active, having a nutritious and balanced diet, and getting regular sleep. These are but a few of the Life Skills we teach at Sober Living by the Sea that can give you the opportunity to live a healthy life.

There are a number of things to be learned from Elma Corning’s life. First of all, a key to a long life is in the genes. Having the patience to enjoy watching and waiting for life to unfold while enjoying others finding their place in life is also a key. It is important to try not to get depressed when life is not a bag of roses is a common thread to a long life. Winston Churchill probably said it best when he said that, “every life is just one damn thing after another!” Changing the narrative in your head from negative to positive can and will add years to your life. The strong connection with family members – a wife, mother, daughter or son – that is the main part of life – relationships. It is important to have a purpose for life and to strive for something greater than ourselves.