Alcohol and Older Adults

Some older adults experience idiosyncratic intoxication---they become a bit tipsy or even drunk from small amounts of alcohol that would not intoxicate most people. This indicates a diminished tolerance to alcohol possibly caused by advance age. Wrongly believing that alcoholism is determined by the amount of alcohol consumed, a family can overlook an older relative's problem if she/he only has one or two drinks at night. But each drink, may affect the older individual's problem as though they had five or six.

To order a free copy of Substance Abuse among Older Adults, published by the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, contact the National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information at 800-279-6686 and ask for Tip 26. Order another copy for the older adult's primary care physician.