Alcohol

Alcohol use among older adults is a more serious problem than people generally realize. Alcohol use alone or in combination with other medications is a known fall risk.

Physical Effects of Alcohol:

Alcohol slows down brain activity. It impairs mental alertness, judgment, physical coordination and reaction time -- increasing the risk of falls and accidents. Over time heavy drinking can cause permanent brain and central nervous system damage as well as lead to liver, heart, kidney and stomach problems. Alcohol can affect the body by producing forgetfulness, reduced attention and confusion.

Alcohol in combination with some medications may intensify the person's reaction to alcohol; or can cause other medications to be absorbed more rapidly, producing exaggerated responses by that medication. Older people are more susceptible to the effects of alcohol due to the changes in metabolism related to aging.

Anyone who drinks, even moderately, should check with a doctor or pharmacist about possible drug interactions.

Alcohol Misuse and Dependency

As many as 3 million people 60 and over have a problem with alcohol. Nearly two-thirds of this group are early-onset alcoholics, having developed problems before age 50; one-third are late-onset alcoholics.

Widowers, especially men, over 75 have the highest rate of alcoholism in the country.

Some people may develop drinking problems related to changes or losses such as retirement, failing health, loneliness or death of friends or loved ones. Depressive disorders are more common among the elderly and tend to co-occur with alcohol misuse.
In 1991, an estimated 70 percent of hospital admissions of older people were for alcohol-related problems.

Recognizing a Problem:

Many professionals claim alcohol becomes a problem when it changes the older person from the way he or she used to be. Sometimes the family "feels" something is wrong and neighbors may notice changes in the way a person behaves.

The following symptoms may indicate a problem:

• Drinking to calm nerves, forget worries or reduce depression
• Loss of appetite
• Gulping drinks or drinking too fast
• Lying about drinking habits
• Drinking alone with increasing frequency
• Needing to drink increased amounts to get the desired effect.
• Experiencing medical, social , or financial problems that are caused by drinking.

Alcohol problems can be successfully treated at any age. Older problem drinkers and alcoholics have an unusually good chance for recovery because they tend to stay with treatments.

If you or a family member are experiencing problems with drinking, seek professional advice from your physician or a chemical dependency service.