How to Prepare for Alcohol Detox at Home: What Happens After You Commit

The hardest part of preparing for alcohol detox is often deciding to do it. Once you have made that decision, Detox Concierge gives you an easy path from the first call to the nurse’s arrival.

You do not need to turn your home into a clinic, buy medical equipment or ask a family member to become your nurse. Dr. Jonathan Reitman directs the medical care remotely. An experienced nurse obtains the medication he orders, comes to you and remains onsite throughout the detox—including overnight.

That nurse’s attention is on the patient. The nurse administers medication, monitors withdrawal, communicates with Dr. Reitman, helps prevent drinking, supports sleep and comfort, and provides hands-on help when the patient is weak, unsteady, sick or embarrassed.

This page explains what that care looks like in real life—and what you should arrange for meals, pets and the household before it begins.

Call or text the Detox Concierge care team at (310) 484-4803. The care team can explain availability, cost and the next step.

You Have Already Taken the Hardest Step

Committing to detox means accepting that drinking has become difficult to stop without help. It does not mean you should now organize the medical care yourself.

Detox Concierge removes as much friction as possible:

1. Call or text the care team. The first conversation covers what is happening, availability, cost, payment and how the intake works.
2. Complete a confidential phone consultation with Dr. Reitman. The patient ordinarily does not travel to an office, and Dr. Reitman does not routinely come to the home.
3. Agree on the start date. Care can usually begin within 24 hours after the consultation once the plan and date are agreed.
4. The nurse prepares for the start. The nurse obtains the medication ordered by Dr. Reitman before traveling to the patient.
5. Care comes to you. The nurse completes the onsite assessment and BAC test and remains with the patient continuously.

The patient may call while still drinking. A family member or trusted person may make the initial call when the patient is too intoxicated, frightened or overwhelmed to explain the situation clearly.

“They were very responsive and communicative about the process and laid out how the program works prior to agreeing to treatment.”

Tell Us What Is Actually Happening

The patient does not need to decide whether the case “qualifies.” There is no public checklist of automatic exclusions. Dr. Reitman reviews adult cases individually.

What helps is an honest account of:

• what the patient has been drinking and when the patient last drank;
• whether the patient is currently intoxicated;
• prior withdrawal, seizures, hallucinations, falls or emergency treatment;
• current prescriptions and other substances used recently;
• major medical or psychiatric conditions; and
• anything that changes before the nurse arrives.

This information is not requested to judge the patient. It allows Dr. Reitman and the nurse to prepare for the person who will actually be in the room.

What Does Continuous One-to-One Nursing Mean?

The nurse does not make a brief visit and leave the patient or family to manage the difficult hours. The nurse remains onsite throughout the detox, including overnight. Dr. Reitman directs the medical care remotely and remains available on call to the nurse.

The nurse’s attention stays on the patient. That includes:

• administering and accounting for the medication ordered by Dr. Reitman;
• monitoring vital signs, breathing, awareness, balance, symptoms and medication response;
• reporting changes and obtaining further medical direction;
• helping prevent continued drinking and supporting compliance with the treatment plan;
• helping the patient move safely and reducing fall risk;
• supporting rest, sleep, ordinary food and fluids as the patient can tolerate;
• offering calm, nonjudgmental emotional support when the patient wants to give up; and
• helping the patient remain comfortable and dignified through an uncomfortable medical process.

These are central reasons alcohol withdrawal is medically monitored rather than left to the patient or family. ¹

The nurse has seen frightened patients, intoxicated patients, stubborn patients and patients who are too weak or embarrassed to care for themselves. The patient does not need to perform wellness or pretend to feel better than they do.

“My nurse Christian was not only helpful in helping me with things around the house, but took the time to educate me on the different meds I was taking, how they were effecting my body and the detox process as a whole.”

What If the Patient Cannot Take Care of Personal Needs?

The nurse helps. That is part of caring for the patient, not a reason for shame.

If the patient is weak or unsteady and needs the bathroom in the middle of the night, the nurse helps the patient get there and back safely. If the patient vomits, has an episode of incontinence or soils themselves, the nurse helps clean the patient, change them and restore comfort and privacy.

The nurse also helps when the patient is confused, frightened, sweating heavily, unable to sleep or too sick to manage ordinary hygiene without assistance. Nurses experienced in detox understand that withdrawal and medication can temporarily make a capable adult dependent on another person.

The point of continuous nursing is that help is already in the room when the patient needs it. The patient does not have to call a relative, struggle alone or wait for the next scheduled check-in.

“I don’t think the woman ever went to sleep. I think she just watched me to make sure I was OK the whole time she was here.”

Does the Nurse Cook, Clean or Walk the Dog?

The nurse is there to care for the patient. The nurse is not a housekeeper, cook, babysitter, pet sitter or household assistant. The reason is not unwillingness. The nurse’s attention should not be pulled away from the person receiving medical care.

Before the start date:

• arrange care for children and pets, including dog walking;
• stock ordinary foods and nonalcoholic drinks the patient already likes, or arrange delivery;
• handle laundry, errands and other household work in advance;
• clear clutter, cords and loose rugs from the route to the bathroom;
• choose a quiet place where the patient can rest and the nurse can remain nearby; and
• tell the care team about stairs, animals, smoking, construction or access problems.

Routine meal preparation is not included. The nurse may help the patient obtain and eat food that is already available, but the service should not be presented as cooking or nutrition support. IV fluids are not standard and may require a separate arrangement and additional charge when ordered.

You are not expected to cook for or entertain the nurse. The nurse handles personal meals during the assignment. If a nurse chooses to cook something, walk a dog or perform another household kindness, treat it as generosity—not a promised part of the service.

“Luckily my 24 hour care nurse Christian is a great chef so I had home cooked meals which was a nice bonus.”

The reviewer called it a “nice bonus.” That is the right distinction: compassionate nurses often do more than anyone expects, but the service being purchased is dedicated patient care.

What Should You Expect on the First Day?

The nurse arrives with the medication ordered by Dr. Reitman. The nurse does not assume that the patient is in the same condition described during the earlier call.

The nurse completes an onsite assessment and BAC test and confirms what the patient has consumed or taken. At the start of care, the nurse checks the location for accessible alcohol and works with the patient and household to remove access.

The nurse then begins the ordered medication, observation and comfort measures. The nurse administers and accounts for the medication, helps prevent further drinking and communicates changes to Dr. Reitman.

Most Detox Concierge alcohol-detox programs are planned for five days, although some patients require longer. Prescribed medication, continuous onsite nursing and Dr. Reitman’s direction are included in every Detox Concierge alcohol detox.

The patient ordinarily keeps the phone. Family or another trusted person may participate with the patient’s permission, but they are not required to act as clinical monitors.

For the complete description of withdrawal risks, medication and medical oversight, read Alcohol Detox at Home.

You Do Not Have to Prepare for Detox Alone

Once the patient commits, the process should become easier—not more confusing. The care team explains the arrangements. Dr. Reitman creates the medical plan. The nurse obtains the medication and brings continuous care to the patient.

Your household preparation is limited and practical: clear the schedule, arrange pets and ordinary responsibilities, create a safe place to rest and tell the team the truth about what is happening. The clinical responsibility belongs to the clinical team.

Call or text (310) 484-4803 to discuss availability, the one-time all-inclusive charge and when care may begin.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who feeds the nurse?

You are not expected to cook for or entertain the nurse. The nurse handles personal meals during the assignment.

Will the nurse cook meals for the patient?

Routine meal preparation is not included. Arrange simple food, groceries or delivery before care begins. The nurse can help the patient access and tolerate what is available, but should not be presented as a cook.

Will the nurse walk the dog?

Do not plan on it. Arrange pet care before the start date so the nurse can keep attention on the patient.

Will the nurse help the patient use the bathroom?

Yes. If the patient is weak, sedated or unsteady, the nurse helps the patient get to and from the bathroom safely, including during the night.

What if the patient vomits or has an accident?

The nurse helps clean the patient and restore comfort and dignity. Experienced detox nurses do not shame a patient for temporarily needing personal care.

Does the nurse stay overnight?

Yes. Detox Concierge provides continuous onsite nursing, including overnight. It is not a visiting-nurse or occasional-check-in service.

Does Dr. Reitman come to the house?

Ordinarily, no. He conducts the scheduled consultation by phone, directs the medical care remotely and remains available on call to the nurse.

Should we remove all alcohol before the nurse arrives?

Tell the care team what is present and follow the instructions given for the period before arrival. At the start of care, the nurse checks the location and works with the patient and household to remove access. Do not force an unsupervised stop unless instructed.

Can the patient work during detox?

Reserve the full treatment period and assume the patient will be unavailable. Some patients may work remotely later if their condition and job permit, but that cannot be promised in advance.

When should we call 911 instead?

Call 911 for a seizure, signs of stroke, severe confusion, hallucinations, trouble breathing, inability to awaken the person, fainting or any rapidly worsening condition. Do not wait for a scheduled nurse arrival during an emergency.

Medical Sources

¹ American Society of Addiction Medicine, The ASAM Clinical Practice Guideline on Alcohol Withdrawal Management. Supports individualized assessment, monitoring, fall precautions and escalation when a different level of care is required.