Includes bibliographical references and index.

section 1. Family responses to addicted older adults -- Addiction isn't one of life's last pleasures -- A few things you should know -- Wrong thinking blocks right action -- Alcoholism accelerates aging - The older adult's addiction affects the health of the spouse (and anyone else closely involved) -- When helping becomes enabling -- Ignoring the problem can preserve the problem -- section 2. Alcohol, prescription drugs, and addiction -- Chemical dependency is a disease -- Evidence that alcoholism is genetic -- Alcoholism begins at any age -- Identifying alcoholism and prescription drug abuse -- Ways older adults misuse medications -- Addiction to prescription drugs -- Alcohol and the older woman -- section 3. How to help an addicted older adult -- A self-preserving disease -- Different worldviews -- Start with a talk -- A conversation with an addicted older adult -- Involving the family physician -- Take advantage of a crisis -- Join hand s -- Forget what you think you know -- Actual intervention letters -- learn about family intervention -- Plan, plan, plan -- A dramatization of an intervention -- Another ending -- section 4. Understanding treatment for older adults -- What exactly is treatment -- Special treatment needs of older adults -- A tour of an older adult treatment program -- Groups designed for older adults -- section 5. Issues in early recovery -- Make decisions before treatment ends -- Grief and loss -- Living life sober -- section 6. Resources -- Older adult treatment centers -- Twelve step organizations -- Internet twelve step meetings -- Recovery resources -- Resources on aging -- Books and publications -- Videos -- Self-quizzes.