Alcohol Use Among Older Adults

Alcohol, in any form - beer, wine, sherry or liquor - is a drug. It acts on the nervous system and it can make changes in a person within a few seconds of taking a drink.

It can make a person feel more relaxed, talkative, sleepy or uncoordinated. It also reduces alertness, judgment, and reaction time and most people would find the last four effects undesirable and potentially dangerous.

Be careful:

Although older adults generally drink less alcohol than younger adults, they are more sensitive to its effects. This may be in part due to their blood circulation, kidneys, and liver working more slowly to eliminate alcohol and their bodies contain less water to dilute the alcohol.

Stay in charge:

Most older adults that enjoy a social drink today have used alcohol safely and moderately throughout their adult lives. But several factors sometimes come together to put an older adult at risk of alcohol misuse – a situation where the person may use a drink to relieve sadness, loneliness, shyness, insomnia, or aches and pains.

Using alcohol or other non-prescription drugs to help soften the hard edge of life’s natural losses and challenges can seem like a handy quick-fix, but will actually make it harder to develop and practice healthier coping skills.

When not to drink:

A small amount of alcohol is unlikely to harm a healthy older adult, but even a small amount can worsen health conditions such as diabetes, heart or blood pressure problems, liver disease and stomach problems.

Trying to keep up with old habits and drinking as much as we used to can lead to serious problems because our body may not be up to it anymore.

Signs of harmful drinking:

•  drinking greater amounts, and more often
•  taking a drink with alcohol early in the morning
•  spending too much money on alcohol
•  denying or minimizing how much you drink when someone asks
•  gulping drinks to feel the full effect as soon as possible
•  becoming confused or forgetting things like appointments or visitors
•  falling or having accidents, clumsiness
•  having trouble sleeping
•  not eating properly
•  conflict with and withdrawal from family and friends
•  neglecting yourself or your home

Some of the warning signs are often mistaken for “signs of getting older”, so don’t be fooled! Consider talking to your Doctor or call Choices For Change to talk to a trained counsellor about any of these issues or concerns, or just come in for a “drinker’s check up”.

Prescription Medication and Other Drug Use

Drinking any alcohol when you are taking medications for anxiety, trouble sleeping, pain, cough & colds, allergies, high blood pressure, heart conditions, diabetes, infections or other conditions can change how the medicines work in your body. With alcohol, some medicine may not work at all, some may make your condition worse, or create new problems.

If you have a history of illicit drug use:

Some still indulge in illicit drug use, but for the most part drugs like marijuana, heroine, cocaine, etc. are eventually left behind as a person ages, in favor of more socially acceptable substances prescribed by physicians. For the person who has indulged in risky drug use in the past, such “store-bought” drugs can be very hazardous, especially if taken improperly or for the wrong reasons. BE HONEST WITH YOUR DOCTOR ABOUT YOUR PAST DRUG USE !

If any person is on prescription medication and / or over-the-counter drugs and still uses “street drugs”, the additive effects can be very unpredictable and dangerous. This is of particular concern for older adults whose gradual health changes may already have them on several medications.

Natural changes as you age:

As you age, you naturally become more sensitive to drugs for pain, sleep, anxiety and jittery nerves (known as Depressant Drugs). Drugs stay in your system longer and have a stronger effect. If you take such medicines for more than a few weeks in a row, you may feel like you need to take more to get the original effect. Then, if you run out of pills early or the doctor stops prescribing them you may experience unpleasant withdrawal effects.

Warning signals of drug abuse:

Withdrawal effects of after misusing depressant drugs are similar to the typical side effects of misusing the drugs or combinations of depressant drugs (either improperly mixing or overuse).

These might include:

•  Unsteadiness or falling
•  Feeling confused or not being able to concentrate
•  Drowsiness or daytime sleeping
•  Poor Memory
•  Difficulty Breathing
•  Dizziness
•  Nausea or Vomiting
•  Headaches
•  Constipation
•  Changes in heart rate or rhythm
•  Irritability
•  Feeling Jittery
•  Feeling Down or Blue
•  Loss of Consciousness

If you notice these kinds of problems OR if someone else says that they notice these problems, talk to your doctor, pharmacist, or other health professional.

Some of these warning signs are again often mistaken for “signs of getting older”. Consider calling or e-mailing Choices For Change to talk to a trained counsellor about any concerns you may have around your drug or alcohol use.

Problem Gambling Behaviours Among Older Adults

As gambling opportunities in Ontario have increased over the past few years, older adults have begun to gamble in record numbers. Many seniors have income that exceeds the amount needed for daily living expenses and they have more time to engage in leisure activities. Seniors often view retirement as a time to have fun and gambling is seen as an exciting form of recreation. Bus trips to casinos have become one of the most popular day trips for Ontario seniors.

As with younger people, most seniors gamble without difficulty, but some do go on to develop problems. There are differences between gambling among older adults and younger age groups including:

• Older adults often don’t understand addictions and are less likely to seek help. They may not have been educated about the risks of gambling and treatment resources available.
• Often finding themselves bored and lonely, they may find gambling as a way to fill their time and socialize with other people.
• Older adults may be more likely to hide their gambling because of attached stigmas.
• Senior gamblers are often on fixed incomes and therefore, are more vulnerable to financial devastation.
• Having lost their money, there is little chance of getting it back
• Many older adults have suffered losses such as the death of loved ones or isolation from family and friends. Gambling may be used as a way to fill the void of these losses.

If you think that you or someone you care about may have a gambling problem, feel free to give us a call. Our trained counsellors can help senior gamblers find hope, learn how to cope with feelings, develop healthy relationships and activities, and regain trust in other people.

If an older person is reluctant to come to our Centre, we would be more than happy to meet outside of the office.