It's hard to give up an old habit. The habit of drinking too much alcohol, however, may have started out as a cocktail before dinner or a brandy before bedtime, but is now a much bigger part of one's life.

An increasing number of older adults enter their golden years with a drink in hand. Of course, many would never admit it.

A Sneaky Addiction
Mildred B., a 70-year-old grandmother, thought she was handling her retirement well. She volunteered at the library, walked her dog and enjoyed preparing her own meals. Every evening she would prepare a martini and eat dinner watching TV. As time passed she began to have two martinis, then three. Sometimes she skipped dinner entirely. Her children noticed her mood swings and became worried when they called and she would ramble over the phone. They eventually pieced together the frequency of her drinking, but did not know how to stop her. Finally, one night after drinking too much alcohol, Mildred B. fell asleep in her chair, suddenly awakened, stood up, fell and broke her hip.

This is not an unusual story. Dr. James Kohl, a Philadelphia, Pa.-based orthopedist, tells of many elderly patients who enter his office with fractures and broken bones. "I always ask if the person is an alcoholic," says Dr. Kohl. "If they deny it, I give them a written test." This test, prepared by John Hopkins University, helps determine the severity, if any, of a person's drinking problem.

Dr. Kohl confirmes that blackouts are common among alcoholics, especially the elderly. "Although many people can drink socially and in moderation, and many people have been drinking all of their lives, they don't realize that as they age, that ability diminishes," he says. "Our motor skills naturally decrease and the risk of falling increases."

Many seniors, for example, also take medications for high blood pressure, heart disease and more. Mixing alcohol with those medications can be lethal.

Finding the Help You Need
Clearly, the older drinker needs as much help as younger people who have substance abuse problems. The good news is that help is available. There are many recovery centers and a nationwide network of Alcoholics Anonymous members and meetings. Remember, some insurance carriers will now pay for the treatment.

If you are in need of help, start by visiting your doctor for a physical exam. Advise him (or her) that you are an alcoholic so he can adjust your medications. Seek psychological help to address emotional problems that may contribute to your drinking. You also will need a support group. You have nothing to lose and certainly a better life to gain.

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