|
One of the more serious problems among older adults is alcohol abuse. Another problem is use of alcohol with medication, which can cause harmful interactions. Excessive alcohol use can increase the risk of health problems, such as high blood pressure and can be fatal.
Research shows that many older people use alcohol at harmful levels. Adults 65 and older who are healthy and do not take medications are recommended to drink no more than three alcoholic drinks per day, and a maximum of seven drinks per week. Women are advised to drink less than this because their bodies react differently to alcohol than men's bodies.
Older adults who drink alcohol can benefit from answering the following questions. These questions are designed specifically for older adults. Your answers may indicate that you need to discuss your drinking with your doctor.
| Yes | No | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. When talking with others, do you ever underestimate how much you actually drink? | ||
| 2. After a few drinks, have you sometimes not eaten or been able to skip a meal because you didn't feel hungry? | ||
| 3. Does having a few drinks help decrease your shakiness or tremors? | ||
| 4. Does alcohol sometimes make it hard for you to remember parts of the day or night? | ||
| 5. Do you usually take a drink to relax or calm your nerves? | ||
| 6. Do you drink to take your mind off your problems? | ||
| 7. Have you ever increased your drinking after experiencing a loss in your life? | ||
| 8. Has a doctor or nurse ever said they were worried or concerned about your drinking? | ||
| 9. Have you ever made rules to manage your drinking? | ||
| 10. When you feel lonely, does having a drink help? |
Scoring: If you have two or more yes responses, this indicates a possible alcohol problem. See your doctor.
Source: Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test – Geriatric Version©, The Regents of the University of Michigan, 1991.
Reference:
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) & Administration on Aging (AoA) (Revised 2013). 10 important questions for those over 65 (Screening Tool #1, pp75–76). In Get connected! Linking older adults with medication, alcohol, and mental health resources (Pub. No. SMA 03-3824) [Edited for Global Readers]. Retrieved 24 September 2015 from http://store.samhsa.gov