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Alcohol Abuse and Dependence
According to the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, 18 million people in the United States have an alcohol problem. In moderation, alcohol may be safe for some healthy individuals. Older men and women, however, frequently suffer from anxiety and depression. They have chronic diseases and take prescription and over-the-counter drugs. Alcohol has the potential to interact with many chronic diseases as well as medications, making older adults more vulnerable to the effects of drinking in late life.
Yet according to the National Institute for Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, nearly half of adults age 60 and over drink alcohol. In a survey sponsored by SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration), seven percent of adults age 65 or older reported that they engaged in binge drinking, and two percent admitted to heavy drinking. By 2010, the U.S. Census Bureau predicts that there will be 39 million adults over the age of 65—meaning that 780,000 older adults and their families will be suffering from the effects of alcohol abuse.
Learn more about the health consequences and risks of alcohol abuse for older adults, such as recent information about how it affects the lungs. This site also contains extensive information about how to diagnose and treat alcohol problems, including information on low-cost, brief interventions. The good news? Older adults respond to treatment just as well as younger ones do.
Content on Infoaging is constantly reviewed and updated by leading researchers specializing in the biology of aging and the diseases of aging. For a list of our content experts, click here.
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