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Alcohol: Effects on Seniors

Seniors are living longer, healthier lives and drinking more alcohol than past generations. The shift may be due to improved personal finances, more opportunities to socialize and attitudes of acceptance toward alcohol that were prevalent when they were younger. Still, alcohol affects seniors in certain ways, and older people must be aware of the benefits and risks before they drink.

  1. Aging and Alcohol

    • As people grow older, they become more sensitive to the effects of alcohol. According to the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, seniors who drink the same amount as a person in their 30s will absorb more alcohol into their blood because they have less body water to dilute it. Aging also reduces the blood flow and enzyme production in the liver, and seniors who drink metabolize alcohol at slower rates.

    Benefits of Moderate Use

    • Moderate drinking may offer seniors some protection against heart disease, osteoporosis and Type 2 diabetes. Studies also show that moderate amounts of alcohol help seniors who have mild cognitive problems. A 2007 study from Italy's University of Bari found that a drink each day delays the onset of dementia. Researchers believe the arrangement of blood vessels in the brain might allow alcohol to protect cognitive abilities. Other studies suggest seniors who drink in moderation experience less stress, better moods and more interaction with others, and those factors preserve cognitive skills.

    Risks

    • Alcohol, even in moderation, poses a set of risks for seniors. Alcohol interacts poorly with medications, diminishing the benefits of some medicines and exaggerating the effects of others. Alcohol also diminishes brain function and affects abilities such as coordination. Seniors, who already experience a loss of agility and coordination as a natural part of aging, may put themselves at greater risk of falls, accidents and injury with even a moderate amount of alcohol.

    Awareness

    • Health care professionals acknowledge some seniors who abuse alcohol have had lifelong problems while other start drinking because of the emotional and physical problems that come with aging. In both cases, symptoms are often missed because they mimic symptoms of aging. Seniors who exceed safe and moderate limits can hasten the aging of the brain and liver, and increase the risk of a pneumonia, stomach problems and nerve damage. More vigilance and awareness is needed to recognize and treat alcohol abuse among seniors.

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