Alcohol affects the elderly

Alcohol abuse by the elderly has become a national health problem. About a third of American drinkers are elderly and may cause harm to them. The alcohol can interact with their medication or it could simply be because they intake too much.

Many elderly are unaware that they have a drinking problem til its too late-such as falling and breaking bone or getting into a car accident. They just don't understand that the amount they drink when they were 50 may have had no affect back then, but if they drink that same amount when they're 70 it can have a double impact and change their state of mind. The levels of enzymes that break down alcohol fall as you age. So as a result higher concentrations of alcohol reach your brain.

There are a lot of reasons why elderly people may turn to drinking: a personal loss, loneliness, feeling useless, etc. Many take up serious drinking in retirement communities where there is really no social life. More men than women become alcoholics.

Research by Bellevue's Ross shows that the elderly alcoholics in treatment programs usually have better attendance and take their medication, other than young people. Yet the people who receive medical treatment are the young people. Food and Drug Administration has approved three drugs for dealing with alcoholism, they are prescribed for only a very small fraction of alcoholics of any age. Also most pediatricians don't check the elderly for alcohol abuse, since the symptoms are usually insomnia or memory loss, they probably think that it is age related.

The reason why this is related to biology is because alcohol is hurting the elderly people. Physically, and mentally, which is bad! Even if it is more dangerous to the elderly, consuming large amounts of alcohol for any age is dangerous.

The reason why this is important is because think about your grand parents or parents. Docotrs seem to be clueless about this because they don't usually screen elderly for alcohol abuse meaning that your grandparents or parents could be in danger.

Article Link
http://www.aolnews.com/health/article/alcohol-gets-more-dangerous-as-you-get-older/19548268