Care homes for substance misuse | Drugs & alcohol dependence

Care homes for substance misuse offer a residential setting for people who require support with withdrawal and rehabilitation from a substance, such as drugs or alcohol. Sometimes referred to more specifically as ‘care homes for drug dependence’ and ‘care homes for alcohol dependence’, the aim is to help residents break free from their addiction, make positive changes to their lives and continue to make their recovery. 

What is substance misuse and what effect does it have?

Substance misuse means that a person is using a substance, for example drugs or alcohol, in a way that is harmful to their health. This can lead to a dependency on the substance, where psychological, cognitive and behavioural problems develop. When dependent, a person will continue to use regardless of the potential consequences to their personal life or safety.

How substance misuse affects a person can be highly individual depending on their circumstances, behaviour and the substance they use. For example, drinking too much alcohol on a regular basis can cause alcohol-related brain damage.

Common physical symptoms of substance misuse

• Organ damage or failure
• Chronic fatigue
• Dental decay
• Sleeping problems
• Weight gain or loss
• Problems with digestion
• Heart and circulation problems

Common mental symptoms

• A powerful craving for a specific substance
• Poor decision-making
• An inability to concentrate or focus
• Confusion and disorientation
• Memory loss

In addition to health and wellbeing symptoms, addiction to drugs and alcohol can also have a huge impact on the personal life of an individual, resulting in an inability to maintain relationships, a likelihood to make poor financial decisions and a difficulty in maintaining and progressing in work.

What do care homes for substance misuse provide?

Care homes for people dependent on drugs and/or alcohol support residents of different ages and with a wide range of needs.

They can offer supervised accommodation for those who may find it difficult to recover if they continue to live independently at home. Care homes can provide long or short-term residency, with some offering temporary accommodation.

In some cases, a person may have a range of problems which contribute to, or exacerbate, substance misuse. Care homes will seek to assess the individual and provide holistic support to ultimately achieve recovery.  

Depending on individual needs, the person can receive intensive physical and mental support as well as social care where they take part in programmes to aid recovery. In many cases, care homes help people through the early stages of withdrawal and support them in making changes to their lifestyle which will allow them to continue their recovery when they leave.

Alcohol related brain damage

Just like with other illnesses or conditions, substance misuse can impact people in a variety of different ways and so care homes will focus on person-centred care.

One example of what substance misuse can cause is Alcohol-related brain damage (ARBD). This is when excessive drinking has resulted in damage to the brain’s nerve cells, blood vessels and low levels of thiamine (vitamin B1). It is common for people who abuse alcohol to also be malnourished as they are less likely to maintain a balanced diet.

In turn, this leads to problems with memory, learning and other cognitive skills such as judgment and understanding. Unless treated, excessive alcohol consumption can lead to Korsakoff’s Syndrome.

A person with ARBD may be unable to live independently, but it is possible to make a partial or even full recovery. In a care home, a person with ARBD will be supported to regain their independence through helping them re-establish life skills, which could be anything from doing the laundry, cooking, socialising and spending time in the great outdoors.

Supported living

Residential care may not be suitable for everyone; supported living offers an alternative option for people seeking help with substance misuse without committing to full time residency in a care setting.

Supported living enables a person to live independently in their own home as a tenant but receive care, treatment and support as needed. Staff will be trained to meet the person’s specific needs, including providing one-to-one support.

This means that a person is able to make their own decisions about their day and have access to communal facilities and social activities.

As well as meeting healthcare needs, supported living schemes can also support service users to rebuild their lives and reintegrate into the community if their addiction has caused them to become disconnected. This could include finding voluntary work and employment, claiming benefits, maintaining a healthy lifestyle and more.

You can read more about supported living here.