Seniors and their changing relationship with alcohol, Part 1

By Anne Ciulla
Licensed Mental Health Counselor
Part 1 of two parts
A majority of Americans ages 65 and older drink alcohol, and those who do are drinking more than older Americans in previous years, according to a study published this past spring in Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research. The same study reported that binge drinking is also on the rise among seniors.
What many of these older Americans don’t know, however, is how the biologics of drinking change as they age. What constitutes a safe daily intake for a younger person could pose a risk to someone in their golden years, who may eat less, weigh less, drink less water and take more medications.

ALCOHOL AND AGING
It has been said that aging is not for sissies. Growing older can often come with new life challenges and living constraints: the onset of chronic health issues that can bring with them loss of mobility and independence; the stress of caring for an ailing spouse or the grief of losing them to old age; a sense of boredom, loneliness or lack of purpose upon retirement; financial hardships.
In such circumstances, alcohol can become a mechanism for coping. Consequently, someone who at most could be described as a “social drinker” all of his or her life can begin to drink routinely and in excess of the recommended daily drinking guidelines for Americans ages 65 and older.
RATES OF EXCESS ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION AMONG OLDER AMERICANS
Drinking guidelines, as defined by the National Institute on Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse, are stringent for older Americans: no more than one standard drink per day for men ages 65 and older and less than one standard drink per day for women ages 65 and older. (According to the same guidelines, a “standard drink” would equate to a 12-ounce beer, 5-ounce glass of wine or 1.5-ounce shot of hard liquor.)
Just how prevalent is this phenomenon of later-life drinking and drinking in excess of healthy guidelines? Quite prevalent, researchers found in a 2009 study published in the journal Addiction. The researchers found that 49 percent of older women and 65 percent of older men engaged in excess alcohol consumption. More conservative estimates from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration have put the number at 15 percent of men over the age of 60 and 20 percent of women over the age of 60. Multiply these numbers by the massive wave of baby boomers nearing retirement age, and the problem approaches epidemic levels. Health care providers, therefore, need to be prepared for the number of alcohol-related medical issues coming their way.
Part II: The medical risks of alcohol in older adults and the dangers of mixing alcohol and medication.