health&wellness
Your brain and body may not bounce back like they used to. But it is not too late!
As mature individuals, the phrase, “it’s never too late,” often conjures images of yoga classes, ballroom dance classes, or jumping out of a perfectly good airplane. But how often do we use that same phrase—it’s never too late—to address our drinking habits? Lori, a mother of two daughters who has been
married to her husband for 37 years, quit drinking three years ago when she was 58. Over a cup of coffee, she explained, “I drank a couple of glasses of wine every day when the kids were growing up and didn’t think much of it. But when the kids went away to college, I ramped it up and added vodka to the menu. I thought I was handling it okay.” When her oldest daughter got married and Lori became a grandmother, the stakes got higher. “One day, my daughter came over with the baby and told me she worried about leaving him with me because of the drinking. That broke my heart. I thought about it for a while and tried to stop drinking on my own, but I couldn’t. Luckily my husband has good insurance and I went to rehab.”
Not everyone can afford rehab, but for those who can, it’s a smart option.
By Anne Matthew For more information about Alcoholics Anonymous visit: www.aa.org For more information about alcohol and aging visit: www.niaaa.nih.gov 26 May | June 2019
“When I came home,” Lori continued, “I chose to go to AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) and that works for me. And now I can babysit, and nobody worries.” After a moment of reflection, she added, “Sometimes I want to drink, but I want to be there for my family even more.”
