| Alcohol abuse amongst seniors is a hidden
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| | the community, outside intervention is
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| epidemic, and few people outside of the
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| | also far less common. Seniors are less
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| immediate family ever even know when a
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| | likely to get noticed for drinking at
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| senior is having problems with drugs or
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| | work, to get into a fight or to get
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| alcohol.
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| | arrested for drunk driving. Senior
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| Older people are at an increased risk for
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| | alcohol abuse is a very often hidden and
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| alcohol abuse and addiction, and
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| | in the home problem.
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| unfortunately, as old age brings greater
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| | Families often know, but they either
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| rates of alcohol abuse, so too does that
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| | don't believe that anything can be done
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| abuse cause greater health and cognitive
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| | for adults abusing so late in life, or
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| problems.
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| | they feel that allowing them to drink is
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| Seniors abusing alcohol achieve
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| | a kindness for old age. Seniors start
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| intoxication far more readily than do
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| | drinking for any number of reasons, but
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| younger people, and a few drinks in an
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| | the trials and stresses of aging (such as
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| older person can equal a great many in a
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| | the loss of a spouse, declining health or
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| younger adult. With intoxication comes a
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| | declining mobility) can often spark a
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| loss of coordination and a greater risk
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| | problem, and families remain hesitant to
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| for falls and injuries, and because the
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| | intervene when the abuse is considered
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| bones become far more brittle with age,
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| | justified.
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| these falls more often end up in mobility
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| | Letting them drink is never a kindness
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| compromising broken bones.
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| | No reason is a good enough reason for
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| But it's not just the acute risks of
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| | substance abuse and addiction. The
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| alcohol that are worrisome; and the
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| | reasons for the drinking may be
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| chronic effects of alcohol abuse in
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| | understandable, but drinking is never an
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| seniors are wide ranging and very
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| | effective solution to the trials of life,
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| detrimental. As the body ages and loses
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| | and especially so in old age. Drinking
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| some efficiency, cells can no longer
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| | very rarely makes anyone feel better in
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| regenerate as readily, and the organs
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| | the long run, and alcohol induced
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| lose the ability to effectively
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| | depression and anxiety often worsens the
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| metabolize the toxins in alcoholic
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| | problems alcohol was initially used to
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| drinks. The risks of cancers, of heart
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| | control.
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| disease, of cirrhosis and of mental
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| | Drinking prematurely ages seniors into
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| declines are all elevated amongst older
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| | very old age, and robs them of sometimes
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| alcohol abusers.
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| | decades of otherwise health and well
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| Why they so rarely get help
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| | being. Seniors do very well in all forms
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| Older women particularly report great
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| | of alcohol and drug treatment, and have a
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| shame when confronted with problems with
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| | better than average success rate when
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| alcohol abuse or alcoholism, and from
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| | they are encouraged to get help.
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| this embarrassment comes a great
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| | You would ever let a younger person
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| reluctance to admit to a problem and
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| | continue to abuse alcohol, and your older
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| initiate treatment.
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| | relatives deserve the same compassion and
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| And because seniors are less visible in
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| | care.
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