Concern over taxis delivering booze to rest homes

Elderly drinkers are getting taxis to deliver alcohol to their rest homes, prompting health concerns about falls while drunk and mixing medication with booze.

The issue was raised at a recent Community and Public Health Advisory Committee in a discussion about alcohol-related harm and will be considered as part of the Christchurch Alcohol Action Plan (CAAP).

Odyssey House 65 Alive alcohol programme nurse specialist Chris Sinclair said alcohol delivered by taxis to aged-care residents was a ‘‘pretty hidden problem’’. ‘‘We do hear about it, but I can’t say how prevalent it is.’’

Taxi deliveries raised health concerns and could be expensive for residents.

‘‘Alcohol can have a more potent effect with age: Elderly people can’t metabolise alcohol as a young person would,’’ she said.

Alcohol could interact with medication and cause significant medical problems. There had been reports of elderly people falling over and hurting themselves after consuming too much alcohol.

It was a ‘‘difficult balance to strike between protecting residents’ health and respecting their rights’’.

‘‘We can’t stop people drinking, however way they purchase it.’’

Most people drank responsibly in rest homes, ‘‘but there are some who don’t and are able to get their alcohol through various outlets’’.

Problematic alcohol consumption for elderly people was a ‘‘worldwide phenomenon’’ and was set to get worse with an ageing population.

NZ Taxi Federation executive director John Hart said drivers should not deliver alcohol to anyone. Taxi drivers did not have licenses to sell alcohol and could not tell whether the person ordering it was of legal drinking age.

About 10 to 15 years ago, police advised the federation that taxi drivers should not deliver alcohol.

The federation did not have a ‘‘formal warning’’ against the practice, but took a clear stance against it, he said.

Christchurch Maples Lifecare retirement village manager Neville Young had never heard of residents ordering taxi alcohol deliveries. ‘‘Residents can do what they like as they would in their own home. Short of stopping people at the entrance and searching their bags, there’s not much we can do about it.’’

Canterbury medical officer of health Alistair Humphrey said rest homes had a duty of care for their residents, but had to respect their rights. The recommendation for elderly people was to drink a maximum of one unit of alcohol a day, instead of up to three units a day for younger men, he said.

‘‘Some people have been having a glass of sherry every evening for 20 years and they think it’s quite safe. They don’t realise that a small amount of alcohol can . . . lead to serious injuries or health problems.’’