Q. I have a concern about my 75-year-old mother. Since my father died two years ago, my mother is drinking a lot more wine than usual.
It begins early afternoon with a few glasses, then a few more glasses at dinner and then the final glass of wine she takes to bed with her, indicating it helps her sleep. She keeps a plastic container of white wine in the refrigerator and pours it like orange juice. I know she misses my father daily.
Any suggestions what to do? D.H. The concern you raised reflects a growing trend among older adults.
Let’s begin by taking the following quiz to get a sense of what we know about alcohol use and the older population . You will not be graded! 1. Alcohol disorder among older adults has slightly increased over the years.
False. It has dramatically increased among those age 65 and older. One epidemiologic survey found that between 2001 and 2013 the rate of alcohol disorder has increased 107 percent .
2. Binge drinking rarely occurs among older adults. False.
Data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health indicate that approximately 20 percent of adults aged 60-64 and around 10 percent over age 65 report current binge drinking. Binge drinking is defined as consuming five or more alcoholic beverages on one occasion. 3.
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a medical condition. True. It is defined as the “i mpaired ability to stop or control alcohol use despite adverse social, occupational or health consequences.
” Considered a brain disorder, AUD can.
