Substance Use And Abuse Among Older Adults
Alcohol abuse is a major problem for older adults. With the number of baby boomers increasing, this problem is expected to increase.
Late-onset alcohol abuse occurs in about one-third or more of older adult alcohol abusers. This group of alcohol and/or other types of drug abusers often begins substance abuse in the later years of life.
Some of the reasons elderly individuals drink include:
* Loneliness. Widowers older than age 65 are at particularly high risk.
* Boredom, often as a result of not being able to do the things that they had been able to in the past.
* Increased physical health problems, including chronic pain.
* Depression and anxiety.
* Grief over losses, such as the death of loved ones and friends.
* Financial worries, including concerns about outliving money set aside for retirement.
* Peer pressure, especially in some retirement communities.
* Feelings of uselessness, being unneeded and without purpose.
Many of these older adults live alone, so the alcohol abuse goes unnoticed by family members.
Even with awareness of the substance-abuse problem, relatives and friends often wait for their older loved ones to hit bottom before doing anything, and their inaction may result in serious injury or even death to their loved ones.
Because alcohol is metabolized more slowly in older individuals, its effect, even in small amounts, can be much more pronounced as compared with the effects of the same amount of alcohol in someone who is younger.
Slurred speech, imbalance and falls, daytime sleepiness and forgetfulness are often attributed to aging, but they also can be related to alcohol or drug abuse.
Other signs of abuse may include deterioration in personal appearance or an increase in medical problems, such as diabetes and hypertension. Frequent hostility, suspiciousness and lack of interest in things that were previously rewarding are sometimes noted in older substance abusers.
Alcohol also can interfere with the effectiveness of certain prescribed medications, and any individual taking medication should consult his or her physician concerning possible destructive interaction of medication with alcohol.
Support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous, along with rehabilitation programs specializing in alcohol and drug abuse, are often available to assist the individual with alcohol and other drug problems.
Preventive measures, such as pre-retirement planning and education about substance abuse can be obtained from many sources including the Internet, medical facilities and libraries. Seniors should pursue these opportunities to increase their chances for a healthy retirement.
