As prosperity increases, alcohol consumption among the elderly has increased significantly in recent years. A large percentage of people aged 55+ drink daily and the number of heavy drinkers is increasing. This causes physical, psychological and social problems that are the direct result of alcohol abuse. An additional problem is the fact that little attention is generally paid to alcohol use by the elderly. I was drowning my sorrows but my sorrows they learned to swim (U2, To the end of the world)
The elderly of today
Older people generally have a lot of free time. The working life is (almost) over and contacts and friendships are becoming fewer and fewer. Of those 55+, 18% of men drink three glasses or more per day and 6% of women drink three glasses or more. Older people are becoming increasingly sensitive to alcohol. This is due to a slower metabolism, which means they need less alcohol to get the same effect. This makes the breakdown of alcohol slower. An additional problem is that people aged 55+ will not quickly sound the alarm to seek help for their drinking problem.
Why is there alcohol abuse among the elderly?
- loss of work
- retirement
- partner disappears
- loneliness
- due to prosperity, older people spend more on alcohol
- On average, older people are more socially active
Elderly people come into environments where alcohol is available. Due to the abundance of free time that seniors often have, there is opportunity to visit associations or neighborhood clubs where alcohol is served.
What is alcoholism?
Daily consumption of more than eighty grams of alcohol, that is eight glasses, is called alcoholism, because a glass of alcohol contains an average of ten grams of pure alcohol. It does not matter whether it is a drink or a glass of beer or wine. Alcohol makes people feel good and painful ailments are better tolerated. If someone tries to cut down or even stop, this effect is gone. People become overstimulated and cannot fall asleep, causing them to turn to the bottle again. There is a difference between heavy drinkers who are not dependent on alcohol (excessive drinkers) and people who are dependent on alcohol (alcoholics).
Characteristics of alcohol abuse
- There is more drinking than usual
- Drinking takes place in unusual places
- People drink secretly and greedily
- Drinking takes place in different situations and at unusual times
If people can no longer control themselves with alcohol, they will also drink in the bathroom, on the toilet or have a bottle hidden in the shed, and so on.
How do you recognize an alcoholic?
- complaints about the liver, pancreas, stomach, intestines and heart
- tuberculosis, epilepsy, nervous disorders, malnutrition or obesity
- psychological problems, such as anxiety disorders, depression and suicide attempts
- accidents at home or in traffic
The above complaints may be an indication to a doctor that there is more going on.
Consequences of chronic alcohol abuse
- overconfidence
- egocentricity
- denial problems
- flattening of emotional life and judgment
- anxiety disorders
- depressions
Alcohol abuse is not always recognised
The alcoholic himself acts as if nothing is wrong, he downplays his alcohol consumption, even those close to him do so. Care providers will also not always recognize if a patient has physical, social or psychological problems that are the result of alcohol abuse. Even doctors and general practitioners find it difficult to discuss alcohol consumption when it comes to older people. Moreover, alcohol consumption is condoned at a relatively early age (from the age of 55).
In nursing and care homes, elderly people drink more alcohol on average than elderly people living independently. It is difficult to tackle the problem with heavy drinkers in a nursing home, because they have often drunk a lot all their lives.
Alcohol and medicines
Alcohol affects the effect of many medicines such as sleeping pills, antidepressants, some painkillers and antihypertensives. In combination with alcohol, it can cause dizziness, reduced vision and coordination disorders. Alcohol also irritates the stomach lining. If it is taken together with painkillers, stomach bleeding can also occur.
However, there are also positive sides to the use of alcohol, provided it is moderate.
Positive effects of alcohol consumption
- Moderate use of alcohol has a beneficial effect on the heart and blood vessels
- would have a preventive effect on diabetes
- reduces the risk of certain forms of dementia
If alcohol abuse is suspected, the doctor uses the following questionnaire
- Do you ever drink alcohol?
- If so, on what occasion and how much?
- Do you ever drink more?
- Have your drinking habits changed lately?
- Have you ever considered drinking less?
- Have people around you ever criticized your drinking? How do you feel about that?
- Did you start the day with alcohol to feel better?
Alcohol use by the elderly will increase
Usually little attention is paid to drinking by the elderly, even though it has long been known that the number of problem drinkers is increasing. In many cases it is also considered sad to deprive an elderly person of his pleasure: “He has so little left.”
The Trimbos Institute expects that the number of addicts will continue to increase.
