| Recent studies have suggested that when taken | | | | drinking in younger people for example, |
| in small amounts for example, a glass of wine | | | | co-workers and employers. |
| with dinner or an occasional shot of whiskey | | | | Doctors may believe that older people "don't do |
| alcohol may be physically and psychologically | | | | that" and miss symptoms of alcohol abuse. |
| beneficial for some older people. | | | | The older person's family may excuse excessive |
| But it's important to establish the difference | | | | drinking ("What else does he have to do at his |
| between sensible drinking and problem drinking. In | | | | age?") and actually supply him with brandy or |
| general, you shouldn't drink more than two drinks | | | | wine. As well, relatives may be so embarrassed |
| a day, and some experts say you shouldn't drink | | | | about an older family member who abuses alcohol |
| every day. Note: One drink equals a regular beer | | | | that they deny or hide the situation. |
| (12 oz. or 340 mi. 5 percent alcohol) or one glass | | | | If you suffer from alcohol-related problems now, |
| of wine (5 oz. or 145 ml. 12 percent alcohol) or | | | | it's likely that you started drinking when you were |
| one shot of liquor (1.5 oz. or 45 ml. 40 percent | | | | younger. But about 30 percent of older drinkers |
| alcohol). | | | | start abusing alcohol after age 60. These |
| There are several reasons why people should | | | | late-onset drinkers tend to explain their drinking as |
| curtail their drinking as they age. | | | | a reaction to retirement, the death of a spouse |
| You become more sensitive to the effects of | | | | or other stresses of older age. Some may turn |
| alcohol, especially alcohol-induced cognitive | | | | to alcohol in an effort to relieve symptoms from |
| impairment such as memory loss and poor | | | | chronic pain, insomnia, depression and anxiety that |
| concentration. | | | | occur later in life. |
| You are more prone to illnesses such as high | | | | However, it's not clear why some older people |
| blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes later in | | | | who are under stress begin to abuse alcohol, while |
| life. Because these ailments can be aggravated by | | | | many others who face similar or even more |
| drinking, your doctor has probably told you not to | | | | severe stress never develop a problem. In fact, |
| drink. | | | | researchers still aren't clear what causes |
| You are more likely to be taking medication to | | | | alcoholism at any age. |
| control illnesses and have been warned not to mix | | | | Some studies have suggested that alcoholism |
| these drugs with alcohol. | | | | tends to run in families either because of a |
| But many experts believe that the true extent of | | | | genetic factor or because drinkers saw alcohol |
| alcohol abuse among older adults may not be | | | | consumed at home and learned that this was an |
| known for the following reasons: | | | | acceptable way to handle stress. In recent years |
| Older drinkers tend to be middle class and don't | | | | some experts have put forward the idea that |
| conform to the popular image of the alcoholic. | | | | alcoholism is a disease that shouldn't be blamed on |
| Older adults tend to be more isolated from those | | | | the victim. Others disagree, saying that this view |
| who typically recognize and report problem | | | | discounts any notion of individual personal control. |