167 lines
13 KiB
Plaintext
167 lines
13 KiB
Plaintext
Source:Eldercare Committee/Human Resources Work and Family Program
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Last changed on PNN: October 22, 1992
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AGING AND ALCOHOL ABUSE
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Alcohol abuse among older men and women is a more
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serious problem than people generally realize. Until recently
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older problem drinkers tended to be ignored by both health
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professionals and the general public. The neglect occurred
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for several reasons: our elderly population was small and
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few were identified as alcoholics, chronic problem drinkers
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(those who abused alcohol off and on for most of their
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lives) often died before old age; and, because they are
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often retired or have fewer social contacts, older people
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have often been able to hide drinking problems.
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Some families may unknowingly "encourage" drinking in
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older family members if they have the attitude that drinking
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should be tolerated because older people have only a
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limited time left and therefore should be allowed to "enjoy"
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themselves.
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As more people learn that alcohol problems can be
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successfully treated at any age, more are willing to seek
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help to stop drinking.
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Physical Effects of Alcohol
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Alcohol slows down brain activity. It impairs mental
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alertness, judgment, physical coordination, and reaction
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time -- increasing the risk of falls and accidents.
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Over time, heavy drinking can cause permanent damage to
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the brain and central nervous system, as well as to the
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liver, heart kidneys, and stomach.
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Alcohol can affect the body in unusual ways, making
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certain medical problems difficult to diagnose. For
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example, the effects of alcohol on the cardiovascular
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system (the heart and blood vessels) can mask pain, which
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may otherwise serve as a warning sign of heart attack.
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Alcoholism can also produce symptoms similar to those of
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dementia -- forgetfulness, reduced attention, confusion. If
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incorrectly identified, such symptoms may lead to
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unnecessary institutionalization.
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Alcohol, itself a drug, mixes unfavorably with many other
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drugs, including those sold by prescription and those
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bought over-the-counter. In addition, use of prescription
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drugs may intensify the older person's reaction to alcohol,
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leading to more rapid intoxication. Alcohol can dangerously
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slow down performance skills (driving, walking, etc.),
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impair judgment, and reduce alertness when taken with
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drugs such as:
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* "Minor" tranquilizers: Valium (diazepam), Librium
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(chlordiazepoxide), Miltown (meprobamate), and
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others.
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* "Major" tranquilizers: Thorazine (chlorpromazine),
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Mellaril (thioridazine), and others.
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* Barbiturates: Luminal (phenobarbital) and others.
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* Pain killers: Darvon (propoxyphene), Demerol
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(meperidine), and others.
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* Antihistamines: both prescription and over-the-
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counter forms found in cold remedies.
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Use of alcohol can cause other drugs to be metabolized
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more rapidly, producing exaggerated responses. Such
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drugs include: anticonvulsants (Dilantin), anticoagulants
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(Coumadin), and antidiabetes drugs (Orinase).
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In some people, aspirin can cause bleeding in the stomach
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and intestines. Alcohol also irritates the stomach and can
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aggravate this bleeding. The combination of alcohol and
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diuretics can reduce blood pressure in some individuals,
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producing dizziness.
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Anyone who drinks -- even moderately -- should check with
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a doctor or pharmacist about possible drug interactions.
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Who Becomes a Problem Drinker?
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In old age, problem drinkers seem to be one of two types.
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The first are chronic abusers, those who have used alcohol
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heavily throughout life. Although most chronic abusers die
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by middle age, some survive into old age. Approximately
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two-thirds of older alcoholics are in this group.
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The second type begins excessive drinking late in life, often
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in response to "situational" factors -- retirement, lowered
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income, declining health, and the deaths of friends and
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loved ones. In these cases, alcohol is first used for
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temporary relief but later becomes a problem.
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Detecting Drinking Problems
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Not everyone who drinks regularly or heavily is an alcohol
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abuser, but the following symptoms frequently indicate a
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problem:
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* Drinking to calm nerves, forget worries, or reduce
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depression.
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* Loss of interest in food.
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* Gulping drinks and drinking too fast.
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* Lying about drinking habits.
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* Drinking alone with increasing frequency.
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* Injuring oneself, or someone else, while intoxicated.
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* Getting drunk often (more than three or four times in
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the past year).
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* Needing to drink increasing amounts of alcohol to
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get the desired effect.
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* Frequently acting irritable, resentful, or unreasonable
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during nondrinking periods.
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* Experiencing medical, social, or financial problems
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that are caused by drinking.
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Getting Help
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Older problem drinkers and alcoholics have an unusually
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good chance for recovery because they tend to stay with
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treatment programs for the duration.
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Getting help can begin with a family doctor or member of
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the clergy; through a local health department or social
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services agency; or with one of the following organizations:
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Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is a voluntary fellowship of
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alcoholics whose purpose is to help themselves and each
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other get -- and stay -- sober. For information about their
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programs call your local chapter or write to the national
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office at P.O. Box 459, Grand Central Station, New York,
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NY 10163. They can also send you a free pamphlet on
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alcoholism and older people entitled "Time to Start Living."
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National Clearinghouse for Alcohol Information is a Federal
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information service that answers public inquiries, distributes
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written materials, and conducts literature searches. For
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information, write to P.O. Box 2345, Rockville, MD 20852.
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National Council on Alcoholism distributes literature and
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can refer you to treatment services in your area. Call your
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local office (if listed in the telephone book) or write to the
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national headquarters at 12 West 21st Street, New York,
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NY 10010.
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The previous materials are a summary of information
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published by: the National Institute on Aging. These
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materials are meant as a general guideline. You should
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always consult with your own physician prior to taking
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action.
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