Pathways 2 Prevention
It’s Never Too Late: Hope, Help, and Healing for Older Adults in Recovery
47 min
Guest: Terry Gerlach
Listen on SpotifySummary
Dave Closson and guest Terry Gerlach discuss recovery and mental health for older adults. Terry shares her career transition to clinical work and the importance of holistic care that integrates substance use and mental health treatment. The conversation covers recognizing risk factors, strengthening protective factors, and supporting lasting recovery at any age.
Key takeaways
- Recovery has no age limit, and it is never too late to seek help and rebuild a meaningful life.
- Address both substance use and mental health together for a holistic approach to care.
- Recognize unique risk factors for older adults, such as loss, social isolation, and medication complexity.
- Strengthen protective factors like sober support, faith, movement, and purposeful activity.
- Shift from shame to guilt, focusing on changeable behaviors, and practice small habit shifts for hopeful momentum.
Show notes
Dave Closson sits down with Terry Gerlach, Supervisor of Clinical Services at Hazelden Betty Ford in Naples, to explore recovery and mental health in older adults. Terry shares her career pivot from corporate banking to clinical work, the power of holistic care that treats substance use and mental health together, and practical ways families and providers can recognize risk, strengthen protective factors, and support lasting recovery. The conversation dives into shame versus guilt, “taking your power back,” trauma-informed healing, and small habit shifts that build hopeful momentum at any age.Key takeaways
- Recovery has no age limit. It’s never too late to ask for help and rebuild a meaningful life.
- Treat both substance use and mental health together. A holistic approach closes harmful care “silos.”
- Older adults face unique risk factors: loss, identity shifts, social isolation, mobility changes, and medication complexity.
- Protective factors matter: sober support, faith, movement, purposeful activity, and service or mentorship.
- Shift from shame to guilt. Shame attacks identity. Guilt focuses on behaviors you can change.
- “Take your power back.” Focus on what you can control today. One day at a time counts.
- Family and providers can be bridges. Notice subtle cues, stay connected, offer options without judgment.
- Small practices, big impact: affirmations, breathwork, gratitude, “habit stacking,” and boundaries to prevent compassion fatigue.
Topics covered
- Holistic treatment: integrated care for substance use and mental health
- Levels of care: residential, partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient
- Older adult programming and considerations
- Risk and protective factors for older adults
- Shame vs. guilt and practical self-forgiveness routines
- Trauma-informed care: EMDR, nervous system work
- Family roles, early cues, and supportive conversations
- Provider self-care and boundaries to avoid compassion fatigue
- Simple daily practices: gratitude, affirmations, measured breathing, limiting negative media, transitional rituals
Notable quotes- “It is never too late to get help. Help is available. You are worth saving.”, Terry
- “Take your power back by focusing on what you can control, today.”
- “Hope has no age limit.”
Resources mentioned
- Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation
- Falling Upward by Richard Rohr
- The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk
- Atomic Habits by James Clear
- VolunteerMatch.org for purpose-building opportunities
-National Prevention Summit 2026
Drug Free America Foundation Links:
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