Alcohol Abuse in the Elderly
Alcohol abuse is often thought of as a “middle aged” condition, but alcohol abuse in elderly age groups is a large and growing problem that deserves focused attention. Whether living alone or with family, elderly people face specific and unique problems when afflicted with an alcohol addiction. Problems can include increased health risks, family conflict, and financial problems. How you deal with the situation can change depending upon your own personal situation, but an understanding of the issues themselves can save you time, money, and heartache.
Health risks associated with alcoholism increase exponentially with increased age. Elderly people have elevated risks of almost every ailment imaginable, and alcohol only makes matters worse. Particularly affected by alcohol are the liver, kidneys, and stomach, all of which are major factors in the health of elderly individuals. If you or someone you know is afflicted with alcohol addiction, it is strongly recommended that you seek out professional advice immediately. For every day spent drinking, it is simply another day in during which your loved one’s health is further deteriorated.
Family conflict is also a primary problem when elderly individuals abuse alcohol. Reasons for conflict are many, but can include elevated stress levels from the need to increase levels of supervision, and can range from verbal to physical abuse in extreme cases. In all situations where tempers flare or problems are caused as a result of an elderly person drinking, family conflict is a natural result that is a good indicator that professional help is required.
Along with alcohol abuse almost always follows financial problems, since most elderly individuals do not have a liberal spending budget. In the vast majority of situations, elderly people are living on hair-string budgets that can be affected by frivolous spending. When under the influence of alcohol, spending online or with friends can become a severely negative habit. Add to this the cost of alcohol itself and the costs multiply several folds in themselves. Financial realities of alcohol abuse are also important factors affecting family conflict and health risks and should not be dealt with as in a bubble.
As with any addition, alcohol abuse in elderly people is a condition only truly solvable by trained professionals. If you or someone you know is suffering, the most humane and thoughtful thing you could possibly do is to get them in to see a doctor or therapist in an alcohol treatment facility in Canada. Their fates are, quite literally, in your hands.
Reference:
http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/extract/327/7416/664
