Smoking and AL help

cla-2019

Looking for advice… My LO, a parent, is a lifelong smoker, which is problematic now that he needs a more supportive living arrangement since none of them allow indoor smoking and winters here get brutal. Ultimately, it looks like we’ll need to explore cessation (which has been tried so many times already) since this is likely to become increasingly dangerous. Right now, however, we’re trying to choose one battle at a time, and smoking is not today’s fight. In light of that, does anyone have tips for how we might navigate a move to an aging community with this obstacle? He would really benefit from the social aspect and support with home care and maintenance, and we’d like to get him someplace where he can transition to AL & MC if/when necessary. Ideas?

mpang123

Cla-2019, I am a smoker, unfortunately. But I don't smoke or think of smoking if I'm around non smokers or when I'm in a facility that doesn't allow smoking. It's like out of sight, out of mind. It's hard to quit if one doesn't want to but if opportunity doesn't exist, it is easier to accept not smoking. The only thing is that if there is a designated smoking section, he might still want to smoke. But if he doesn't have access to cigarettes, it will be limiting his chances to smoke and will only be able to "bum" cigarettes from others if they are generous. I have the wish to quit but I have too much opportunity to continue smoking until there is no choice but to quit.

easy23

Smoking is a tough one to quit. Have you tried nicotine patches?

cla-2019

He has tried everything—even hypnosis. And fighting him on it only makes him want to do it more.

cla-2019

Thanks mpang—it’s helpful to hear it from the smoker’s POV, and gives me a little bit of hope that if he’s got things to do and people to do them with, he’ll cut down/be able to manage not doing it in his home all the time.

harshedbuzz

@cla-2019

You aren't going to be able to place him as an active smoker. If he has the wherewithal to procure some and attempts to smoke, he will be asked to leave as that would be risky of staff and other residents.

Being away from smokers should help. When we had this issue with my aunt who was on the verge of being shown the door, her daughter got patches and also Zyban (Wellburtin) to help her transition.

HB

M1

Unfortunately i agree with Harshedbuzz. You may just have to cold turkey him on this one. Which would probably mean a locked ward as opposed to AL. Anything short of forced deprivation is unlikely to be successful. Sounds harsh i know, but it's what would happen with a hospitalization too.