Is Alcohol Safe for Seniors?

Did you know that roughly 40% of adults aged 65 and older drink alcohol? If you’re a senior or caring for an aging adult, you may have questions about whether it is safe you/them to drink alcohol, especially if and when specific medications are being taken. To help answer this question, we have pulled together some frequently asked questions about drinking alcohol as an aging adult.

Does the Body Process Alcohol Differently as You Age?

Older adults reach higher blood levels of alcohol even when drinking the same amount as younger people. This is because, with aging, the amount of water in the body is reduced and alcohol becomes more concentrated. However, even at the same blood alcohol level, older adults may feel some of the effects of alcohol more strongly than younger people.

Can drinking alcohol cause health problems for older adults?
In general, when an older adult consumes higher amounts of alcohol it may make the following problems worse, including:

Can Alcohol Have Health Benefits for Older Adults?

In general, yes alcohol can help the heart and blood vessels in several ways. Moderate drinking thins the blood and reduces clotting. It also surprisingly boosts desirable types of cholesterol and reduces undesirable cholesterol.

Can alcohol cause negative side effects when taken with medication?
Many prescription and over-the-counter medications, as well as herbal remedies can be dangerous or even deadly when mixed with alcohol. Medications that can interact badly with alcohol include:

  • Aspirin
  • Acetaminophen
  • Cold and allergy medicine
  • Cough syrup
  • Sleeping pills
  • Pain medication
  • Anxiety or depression medicine

What is a healthy amount of alcohol for an older adult to drink?
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism recommends that people ages 65 and older limit their consumption of alcohol to one drink per day. Drinking more than these amounts puts people at risk of serious alcohol problems.

Can an Older Adult Develop an Alcohol Problem?

According to the American Family Physician, alcohol abuse and alcoholism are common but underrecognized problems among older adults. One third of older alcoholic persons develop a problem with alcohol in later life, while the other two thirds grow older with the medical and psychosocial sequelae of early-onset alcoholism.

Always check with your physician on whether it is safe for you or your loved one to drink alcohol. The information above will give you a good starting point to begin the conversation.

 

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