Did you know that around 10% of adults in the USA have had a substance use disorder at some point in their lives? Many of these individuals were able to turn their lives around after a stay in a sober living home.
So how exactly do you maintain a successful sober living facility that will help people change their lives for the better? This article lists some of the essential aspects of a great sober living home that promotes a healthy and sober lifestyle.
Establish Clear Rules for Residents
One of the most important features of sober living homes is that there are rules and regulations the residents need to live by. For example, one of the most important rules is that there can’t be any drugs or alcohol at the facility.
There will also need to be random drug testing to ensure that the residents are compliant. Other rules might involve quiet hours or now allowing people to bring guests. Basically, these rules ensure that the sober living facility is a stable environment for people to recover in.
Support for Residents
Another important feature of any addiction recovery center is offering support for residents. For example, residents will need to have access to therapy and counseling services. They should also be able to participate in support groups such as twelve-step programs.
Residents might also benefit from support that will help them to live a normal life once they leave the facility. You might offer support to help people find housing or employment.
Encourage Good Health
It’s not enough to ensure your residents are clean from alcohol and drugs. For sober living to be successful, residents will also need to live a healthy lifestyle.
If someone has been an addict for years, it’s likely that they have not exercised in a long time. This means that exercise programs such as jogging or playing sports can be a great way to help people transition into a healthier, sober lifestyle.
Not only can exercise improve people’s health, but exercise also releases feel-good endorphins. This can help your residents avoid the temptation to relapse.
Checking on Residents
It’s also important that you regularly check on your residents to ensure everything is going according to plan. You should aim to have regular one-on-one meetings with every resident regularly.
These meetings can help to highlight any issues the resident may be having. It could also help to spot the signs of a resident at risk of relapse. Checking on residents is a great way to take proactive measures and make sure as many of your residents stay sober.
Create a Sense of Community
Creating a sense of community is vital for your resident’s sober recovery. This is because a feeling of community creates a sense of accountability and support and creates a sense of belonging.
There’s no single way to create a strong community feel, but you can encourage your residents to participate in group activities wherever possible. For example, you might have everyone eat together for at least one meal per day.
You might also encourage systems where members take responsibility for each other. For instance, you could have a mentorship program where people in the late stages of their recovery take responsibility for new arrivals at the sober living home.
It’s important to remember that creating a strong sense of community can take time, so make sure you have patience.
Regular Communication With Family and Loved Ones
Having a loved one going through rehabilitation can be a difficult experience. That’s why communication with family and loved ones is a key part of running a successful sober living home.
You should encourage your residents to keep in regular contact with their loved ones. This will help to reassure your resident’s loved ones that things are going well.
You should also keep in contact with your resident’s loved ones and family as well. Generally, they will be quite anxious about the process. You can reassure them by explaining how your sober living home works and by explaining the recovery process.
Maintaining Safety and Cleanliness
It’s absolutely vital that your sober living home is a safe and clean environment. Living in a clean environment can have a positive effect on mental health. This will help residents who are going through the recovery process.
You are also responsible for ensuring your residents are safe and secure in their surroundings. This means that you’ve fully evaluated all potential safety hazards around the property and properly addressed them.
You’ll also need to make sure that the cleanliness of the house is always maintained. While you could hire cleaners for this task, it may make sense to have the residents take on this responsibility.
having your residents be in charge of the cleaning is a great way to teach them some important lessons about responsibility which will serve them well in life once they leave the sober living home.
Be Prepared to Update Rules and Policies
As you run your sober living home, you’ll find that some of your residents may find ways to bypass or exploit the rules. You’ll need to be prepared to update the rules and regulations accordingly.
You should communicate the rules to your residents through regular meetings. You should also make sure your residents are involved in the rule-making process. This helps to create a sense of fairness.
These Tips Will Help You Run a Sober Living Home
Running a sober living home can be an incredibly rewarding experience. With that said, it will also be a difficult challenge. You’ll need to make sure you take all the right steps to maintain a positive and healthy environment.
If you want to learn more about sober living homes, contact us today, and we can discuss it further.
