Seeking Solutions With Suzanne

Currently, nearly 14 million Americans—that’s 1 in every 13 adults--abuse alcohol or are considered alcoholics.
A recent article in American Family Physician estimates that as many as 17 percent of adults age 60 or older may have a drinking problem.
Al-Anon is a support group for family members of alcoholics. For more information, call their toll free number: 1-888-4AL-ANON

This article by Irene S. Levine, PhD, discusses the warning signs of late onset alcoholism.
Eagleville Hospital is a, "…non-profit facility that serves as a regional resource for prevention, training, research, and treatment related to providing quality comprehensive treatment to those suffering from addiction, co-occurring disorders and other behavioral health problems."
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism offers free publications “on all aspects of abuse and alcoholism.” For more information on how to obtain these publications, visit their website:

Late Onset Alcoholism

at 11:55AM, 1:55PM, and 3:55PM

Approximately 10 percent of the 43 million older adults in the United States are addicted to alcohol or prescription medication. Many of these seniors have never had a problem with drinking in their younger years, but become addicted to alcohol later in life. Have they always been predisposed to having an addiction to alcohol, or is it something that develops over time? Suzanne spoke with Dr. Harvey Weiner, Vice President of Health Affairs for Eagleville Hospital to find out.

Warning Signs

Obviously, not everyone that has a few drinks is an alcoholic. So, what are the warning signs? According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, an alcoholic is characterized as having the following four symptoms:

Craving-A strong need, or urge, to drink.

Loss of Control-Not being able to stop drinking once drinking has begun.

Physical Dependence- Withdrawal symptoms, such as nausea, sweating, shakiness, and anxiety after drinking stops.

Tolerance-The need to drink greater amounts of alcohol to get "high."

Older Adults and Alcoholism

As the body ages, it doesn't process alcohol as efficiently as it once did. An elderly person will have a much stronger reaction to drinking the same amount of beer that a teenager drinks with little or no effect.

Many events can occur in an older person's life that can cause depression, such as children moving away, the death of a spouse or close friend and the slower lifestyle that results from retirement. Due to illness or fatigue, some seniors find they can't physically do the things they once loved to do. For these reasons, many elderly turn to drinking as a form of comfort and relief.

Although the instance of alcoholism in the elderly population is rising, it often goes unnoticed. This tends to occur because its effects are often masked by common physical and mental symptoms of aging. Chronic digestive problems, insomnia, headaches, fatigue and forgetfulness are all signs of getting older…but they are also effects of alcoholism.

Getting Help

Most people with an addiction to drinking are the last to admit they have a problem. If you suspect that a friend or family member is suffering from this disease, the best thing to do is to attempt to have them evaluated by a professional. A physician will be able to determine if a person's mental and physical symptoms are a normal part of the aging process, or something more.

Once an alcohol addiction is recognized, the treatment can begin. Alcoholism is a chronic disease that is treatable, but not curable. Group therapy, individual therapy and medication can be a huge help on the road to recovery.