The elderly and alcohol: a popular combination
When we think of a nice drink and 'hit him well' we often think of adolescents who are pushing their own limits and who have to pay for this adventurousness the next day with a hangover. Yet it is not only young people who struggle with their alcohol use; the elderly also drink excessively relatively often. Read who, what, where, why, how and when here.
It has been in the news before: the number of elderly people with a drinking problem has increased significantly in recent years. The number of alcoholics aged 55 and older has also grown in recent years. Source: triora.nl.
Facts and numbers
National studies in the Netherlands show that a majority of the elderly drink alcohol (80%). Half of the over-55s are light drinkers; they drink a maximum of 8 glasses of alcohol per week. However, between 6.7% and 12.6% (depending on the study) of the elderly drink excessively (men more than 21 drinks per week and women more than 14 drinks). Source: LoketGezondleven.nl.
This percentage is higher than among younger adults (23-54 years). In this group, 3.8% drinks excessively. an alcoholdisorder is more common in younger adults than in people over 55 (3.9% and 1.3%, respectively). In general, alcohol use decreases as people over 55 get older. However, people over 55 who already drink excessively tend to drink more as they age. On average, they went from 23 glasses to 30 glasses a week in 6 years. Source: LoketGezondleven.nl.
Who are those drinking elderly?
The drinking elder is often a 'baby boomer'. Men and women born after the war. A generation that has worked hard, saved a lot and often retired early. And therein lies the problem for some. That early retirement means that you suddenly no longer have to come to work fresh and fruity every day. This creates a lot of free time and you can change from a moderate drinker to a social drinker.
| Social drinking: what is it?
Social drinking is something that happened a lot in the past. Towards the end of the afternoon people started during working hours with a glass of wine or a beer. This continued after work and often became very late. Drinking was, and still is, socially acceptable. Yet for many of that generation, it has gone from a pleasant drink to problematic drinking. Source: triora.nl |
Other causes
Besides having a lot of free time and being given the opportunity to drink, there are other causes that can negatively influence drinking behaviour.
For example: loneliness, stress factors (such as illness, informal care, death, divorce), genetic predisposition, depression, availability of alcohol, insufficient knowledge about alcohol, lack of a daily structure and the fact that care providers and people in the vicinity of people over 55 appeal to them very limited about their alcohol consumption.
| Drinking alcohol poses risks that apply to everyone, but in the elderly there are a number of additional vulnerabilities that must be taken into account.
- Due to the changes in the body, the concentration of alcohol is rather too high, the sensitivity to the effects increases and the breakdown is slower. -The interaction with medicines can cause complications, for example because it strengthens or weakens the effect of medicines. -Fall incidents take place more easily and have greater consequences (source: LoketGezondleven.nl. |
Good news
Of course, we don't end on a low note. Because a break period offers you a lot of benefits. Small and large benefits that gradually reveal themselves to you more and more often. For example, consider (one):
-Fresh head
-Better concentration
-Easier to lose weight
-Save money
-Glossy skin
-Rest for your organs
-Sleep better
-Better resistance
-Better mood
-Better sports performance
More than enough reasons to complete these 40 days, take stock and determine for yourself what role alcohol can play in your life from now on.
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