Alcohol: Effects on Seniors

Alcohol Affects the Body Differently as We Age

Alcohol can cause problems in adults of any age. In general, older adults don’t drink as much as younger people, but they can still have trouble with drinking. As people get older, their bodies change. They can develop health problems or chronic diseases. They may take more medications than they used to. All of these changes can make alcohol use a problem for older adults.

Older Adults are Sensitive to Alcohol’s Effects

As people age, they may become more sensitive to alcohol’s effects. One reason is that older people metabolize, or break down, alcohol more slowly than younger people. So, alcohol stays in their bodies longer. Also, the amount of water in the body goes down with age. As a result, older adults have a higher percentage of alcohol in their blood than younger people after drinking the same amount of alcohol.

Aging lowers the body’s tolerance for alcohol. This means that older adults can experience the effects of alcohol, such as slurred speech and lack of coordination, more readily than when they were younger. An older person can develop problems with alcohol even though his or her drinking habits have not changed.

As reported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the National Survey on Drug Use and Health conducted in 2010 found that nearly 40 percent of adults age 65 and older drink alcohol. Most of them don’t have a drinking problem, but some of them drink too much. Sometimes people don’t know they have a drinking problem. And if the person is taking medicines, drinking alcohol can causes additional dangers.

Some Medicines and Alcohol Don’t Mix

Dozens of medicines interact with alcohol and can be harmful.

Some examples:

• Aspirin and Arthritis Medications
  taking aspirin or arthritis medications and drinking alcohol can increase
  the risk of bleeding in the stomach
• Acetaminophen
  taking the painkiller acetaminophen and drinking alcohol can increase the
  chances of liver damage
• Antihistamines and Cold Medicines
  Cold and allergy medicines that contain antihistamines often make people sleepy.
  Drinking alcohol can make this drowsiness worse and impair coordination.
• Sleep Aids and Depression Medications
  Drinking alcohol and taking some medicines that aid sleep, reduce pain, or relieve anxiety
  or depression can cause a range of problems, including sleepiness and poor coordination
  as well as difficulty breathing, rapid heartbeat and memory problems.
• Medications for Chronic Health Problems
  Drinking alcohol and taking medications for high blood pressure, diabetes, ulcers,
  gout, and heart failure can make those conditions worse

Alcohol Abuse and Seniors

Alcohol and prescription drug problems among adults 60 and older is one of the fastest growing health problems facing the country yet the situation remains underestimated, under-identified, under-diagnosed, and under-treated for a number of reasons:

• Healthcare providers tend to overlook alcohol or drug problems
  among older people, mistaking the symptoms for dementia, depression,
  or other problems common to older adults.
• Older adults are more likely to hide their alcohol or drug use and less
  likely to seek professional help.
• Many relatives of older individuals with substance use disorders,
  particularly their adult children, are living in denial or ashamed of
  the problem and choose not to address it.

According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) and the American Geriatrics Society, people 65 or older are engaged in risky drinking if they consume more than seven alcoholic drinks per week or more than three drinks on a single day. It’s highly recommended that the single-occasion drink limit should be no more than two drinks for men and one drink for women.

Nine percent of Medicare beneficiaries (age 65 and older) drink more than 30 drinks a month and more than four drinks in any one occasion. Drinking at an older age can have additional negative effects, such as:

• Complicate treatment for medical conditions
• Cause a range of medical problems associated with alcoholism
• Reduce the ability to function
• Increase the risk of accidents or falling down
• Negatively interact with prescription medications

If you feel you’re drinking too much, or may be suffering negative physical effects of alcohol, don’t go it alone. Talk to your doctor or visit the website for the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc (NCADD).

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