Fearing Alcoholism

Dear Linda:

I'm worried about my dad who is a 78-year-old widow. Though he's always been jovial and outgoing, lately he's cranky and totally withdrawn. The last time I visited he was shaking, covered in bruises, and unwilling to discuss why. I fear I found the answer in empty alcohol bottles in the trash.

Dear Fearing Alcoholism:

Alcoholism among seniors is considered a "hidden epidemic". The very symptoms that would suggest a problem are ignored or misdiagnosed because they are also associated with aging--dizziness and falls, incontinence and poor hygiene, confusion and impaired memory, depression and excessive napping, disinterest in food and isolation.

The typical consequences of alcohol abuse (family and financial problems, job loss and arrest) are not really a deterrent for an older person. Seniors who are retired, drive less, and live away from family and friends are able to drink alone for a long time before the problem is detected. It finally becomes obvious to the family when the aging alcoholic can no longer function independently.

The Center for Substance Abuse Treatment reported that: 15% of male alcoholics and 24% of female alcoholics began abusing between the ages of 60-69, and 14% of males and 28% of females began abusing between the ages of 70-79. Social isolation, loss and grief, housing and financial concerns, and physical and mental health problems are some of the reasons for late-life drinking.

Because of physiological changes due to aging and the pharmacological impact of mixing medications with alcohol, seniors 65 and older are even more vulnerable to the adverse effects of abuse. Their immune system is compromised and ability to resist disease greatly diminished.

Education is key before intervention can be successful. Read Aging and Addiction: Helping Older Adults Overcome Alcohol or Medication Dependence by Carol Colleran and Debra Jay (Hazelden). Visit the National Institutes of Health at www.niaaa.nih.gov. Call Focus on Recovery at 866-255-5029 for program referrals or Alcoholics Anonymous at 212-870-3400.

Confront with love, compassion and understanding. Visit a physician for proper diagnosis, and take heart. Generally, the elderly stay in recovery programs and respond well to treatment.