Recommended safe limits for drinking alcohol by older people should be cut, according to a report.
Dr Stefan Janikiewicz is a general practitioner from the Wirral and Cheshire region and was also one of the report‟s authors. “There is increased pressure to glean information from patients and act on these findings. Smoking and alcohol are still the most common forms of substance misuse that affect all age groups. Increasingly GPs are responding to these issues.” He warns that GPs have to work with specialist service and other health workers.
The Royal College of Psychiatrists says people over 65 should drink a maximum of only 1.5 units of alcohol a day. That is the equivalent of just over about half a pint of beer or a small glass of wine. The report says older drinkers are less able to process alcohol and the drink might also interact with medication they may be taking for other ailments.
There has been an angry reaction from many older people to the suggestion that they should cut down on their drinking. The editor of Saga magazine, Emma Soames stated: “As people‟s horizons narrow, as they get older eating and drinking are one of the few pleasures that remain with them for a very long time. And going to the pub is the last social activity for many people.” Dr Shenker, Chief Executive of Alcohol Concern said the problems of older drinkers are often ignored. “W hile younger excessive drinkers often make the headlines, we should remember that older people often turn to alcohol in later life as a coping mechanism and this can remain stubbornly hidden from view. This report calls for much greater recognition that excessive drinking in older age is both widespread and preventable, particularly if public health professionals are supported and trained to spot the signs and take appropriate action.”
It warns current advice – 14 units of alcohol for women and 21 for men each week – is based on work with young adults. A group of experts from the Royal College of Psychiatrists says there is a growing problem with substance abuse among older people, who they describe as societies “invisible addicts”. The report says a third of those who experience problems with alcohol abuse do so later on in life, often as a result of big changes like retirement bereavement or feelings of boredom, loneliness and depression. But the extent of the drinking is hidden because unlike younger drinkers, more older people drink in their own homes – the report suggests. The problem is exacerbated by the widespread use and misuse of prescribed and over the counter medicines among elderly people which can interact badly with alcohol. Compounding the problem are the changes our bodies undergo as we get older which mean we are less able to cope with the effects of alcohol. The report is calling for the government to issue separate advice on safe drinking limits for older people, with an upper “safe limit” of 1.5 units of alcohol a day or 11 units per week.
In a statement, Age UK said “Age UK fully supports moves to encourage GPs to do more to identify people who are drinking too much and the importance of raising awareness among older people about safe drinking levels.” A spokeswoman for the Department of Health said action was being taken to tackle problem drinking, such as plans to stop supermarket selling alcohol at below cost prices. She added “Individuals have responsibilities too and everyone should drink responsibility within the recommended alcohol limits. All advice is kept under review. We welcome any addition to the evidence base in this area and will consider this report carefully.”
What Is Addiction?
They also want GPs to screen every person over the age of 65 for substance misuse along with health campaigns around drugs and alcohol specifically targeting older people. Professor Ilana Crome, Professor of Addiction Psychiatry and chair of the group that wrote the report says it is a hidden problem but one that is growing in scale. “The traditional view is that alcohol misuse is uncommon in older people and that the misuse of drugs is very rare – this is simply not true. A lack of awareness means that GPs and other health care professionals often overlook or discount the signs when someone has a problem. We hope the report highlights the scale of the problem, and that the multiple medical and social needs of this group of people are not ignored any longer.”
How much do we understand about addiction? What causes it and why do some people become addicts while others do not? Addiction is naturally associated with alcohol and other drugs, but that is not the whole picture. As the NHS points out people can “become addicted to anything, from gambling to chocolate.” Addiction has to start with exposure, and at some point, casual or recreational use shifts to dependence.
GPs are often those who stand the best chance of spotting when someone has a problem.
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