Preventing addiction in the elderly population

Many older people deny having a problem with alcohol. Some were social drinkers for many years consuming two or three drinks, three to four times a week, and did not experience problems. However, coupled with metabolic changes, some elderly people become shorter and lose weight. This means that their bodies have less water.

The opioid crisis in the Unites States is affecting all age groups. Our elderly population is the most vulnerable regarding this epidemic. The elderly are the major consumers of health care and are prescribed multiple drugs and often make errors taking their medicine due to a lack of information and misunderstanding.

The 65-and-over population is projected to be 83.7 million in 2050. This is the fastest-growing segment of our population. The elderly are at a high risk to experience problems with alcohol and other drugs. This is due to changes in metabolism due to aging, mixing alcohol with prescribed drugs, and difficulty adjusting to retirement.

Many older people deny having a problem with alcohol. Some were social drinkers for many years consuming two or three drinks, three to four times a week, and did not experience problems. However, coupled with metabolic changes, some elderly people become shorter and lose weight. This means that their bodies have less water.

When an individual drinks alcohol, the more water in the person’s body the more the alcohol is diluted. Thus, the time it takes to reach the brain and other parts of the body is extended and the effect is lessened. Individuals with less water in their bodies experience the undiluted effects of alcohol in a shorter period of time. The same number of drinks the individual consumed weekly for years has the effect of a higher number of drinks. This information will help remove the individual’s denial and interrupt the drinking pattern. Providing the elderly with this information and mixing prescription drugs can encourage them to make better choices.

Retirement creates a situation where an increased freedom from the individual’s work routine sets the stage for increased drinking and abusing prescribed drugs. This is due to the inactivity associated with retirement; the elderly person fills in time with social activities where drinking is accepted. Many experience a loss of self-worth because their jobs were a major part of their self-image. The role associated with employment often identifies who the individual believes himself or herself to be. Once retired he or she feels a loss and experience sadness. Some become depressed and turn to alcohol and other drugs to relieve the emotional pain.

Family members can assist elderly relatives develop new informal roles. They can encourage them to revive leisure activities that were delayed because of work; develop hobbies; join groups where informal roles can develop; get involved with church; volunteer at the local hospital or schools; and work part-time for fun. This list is endless. Family members can help to interrupt relatives’ patterns of abusing alcohol and other drugs and avoid the devastating illness of alcoholism and other addictions.