Power of Attorney

[acheson1]

Are adult children able to intervene and commit their mother to an alcohol treatment facility? My friend of over 30 years has 3 adult children and a wretched history with alcohol. She has been in and out of rehab for well over 1 1/2 years. When she comes out, she starts drinking again immediately. Her rehab stays have been anywhere from a couple of hours to a couple of weeks. Recently, she has been commiting herself and leaving very quickly. Her children feel that she needs to stay for an extended period of time, such as 3 months, in order to "dry out" and start to focus on her mental health issues in order to stay sober. Is there a legal avenue for them to do this?

Thank you!

 

[Proserpina]

Only if they can prove she is a danger to herself or others.

Unfortunately for them, this is in practice very difficult to accomplish unless she's convicted of a crime while under the influence.

Mom is an adult - she's legally entitled to waste her life on drugs and alcohol if that's what she chooses to do.

 

[acheson1]

Thank you for your response. I do appreciate it -and yes this is an awful waste. I just hope she does not hurt anyone else in the process.

 

[Proserpina]

I do feel for the family. It's true that in some cases the court can order committal or rehab. But if the patient isn't ready it's not likely to work long term at all. They need to make that decision themselves. Some will comply short term and then relapse (often in cycles, as you've witnessed), some will make the decision themselves later on (and these are the ones most likely to remain sober long term) and some will never reach that point. It's also true that sometimes it takes a tragedy for someone to reach rock bottom and make that decision.

We just don't know.

Good luck to all of you - it's not easy at all, for anyone involved.