For most of us here in the UK, alcohol is something we all grew up with. From the furtive guzzling of cheap, sweet cider in the park in our early teens (bought from the offy for us by that really tall, hairy lad from the 5th form!) to the booze-fuelled parties of our late teens/early twenties… starting at just after 10.30pm when the pubs closed…
Not for us the French way; introducing our young offspring to a small, diluted glass of wine with their dinner now and again, so that alcohol wouldn’t be viewed as “forbidden” or wrong. No. Here in Blighty, it was all about swiping a bottle of your mum’s cooking sherry and getting drunk!
And whilst the excesses of our younger days tended to diminish as we got older – held down jobs, got married, started families, etc, the fact is, among men and women aged 65 and over, recent studies carried out by Age UK have shown an increase in alcohol consumption.
WHY COULD THIS BE?
There are several reasons that might help explain this, including:
- Isolation: Older people who feel lonely – not least those who have suffered a bereavement of a loved-one – may well turn to alcohol as a way to fill their time and block out feelings of loneliness.
- Retirement: Retirement and changes in daily routine can leave us with far more free time on our hands…which in turn can lead to more opportunities to drink.
- Stress: Financial concerns, health issues, loss of loved ones; all of these stress factors can lead to increased alcohol consumption as an attempt to block them out.
- Lack of awareness: Some older people may not be aware of the potential health risks linked to excessive alcohol consumption, or they simply underestimate the amount they are actually drinking.
- Habit: Following on from the point above, we perhaps just don’t realise how much extra alcohol we get through in a week if we indulge daily in a “pre-dinner snifter” – or perhaps a little digestif after our dinner, along with the glass of wine or two we actually drink with the meal.
- Cultural norms: As we all know, the drinking of alcohol here in Britain is part of the fabric of our society. So no surprise that social pressures to drink, especially in social settings or during celebrations, can contribute to excessive drinking among older people.
WHAT HARM CAN IT DO?
Most of us know that in general, men tend to metabolise alcohol better than women. Unfair, perhaps, but that’s the way it is. But what many of us may not know is that older people metabolise alcohol more slowly than younger folk – which in itself can increase the risk of liver damage and heart problems, and exacerbate existing health conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure.
Added to that is the risk of developing mental health conditions such as depression and dementia.
Meanwhile, too much of the strong stuff can also increase our risk of falls and accidents – and the repercussions of falls and accidents can be far greater in later life, especially for older people living with frailty.
And of course, many older people take prescribed medications which can negatively interact with alcohol, reducing the effectiveness of the medication or intensifying any adverse side effects.
BENEFITS OF CUTTING DOWN
Whilst we’ve all heard stories about some fella down the road who drank six pints of beer and a bottle of scotch a day and lived to the ripe old age of 104, most of us aren’t blessed with such genes!
Current government guidelines recommend no more than 14 units of alcohol per week – so that’s around 6 pints of average strength beer or 10 glasses of lower strength wine.
If this sounds a bit dull, what is exciting is the significant health benefits that can come about by reducing your alcohol intake. These include:
- Reduced risk of chronic disease
- Improved cognitive function
- Better sleep quality
- Lowered risk of accidents
- Weight management
So if you believe you could be drinking too much and want to stop or simply cut down, there are several steps you can take. These include getting support from your healthcare provider or specialist alcohol service, seeking therapy such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), setting yourself some achievable goals, identifying those triggers that can lead to excessive drinking in the first place, and getting the support of family, friends or external support groups.
And one highly effective and beneficial way to cut down on the sauce is simply to explore alternative activities and hobbies such as exercise, volunteering, or pursuing creative interests.
Your body – and your wallet – will definitely thank you for it!
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