Survey reports Alaska seniors are drinking

According to a Gallup Corporation telephone survey conducted for the Alaska Division of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse, Alaska's dependence rate among seniors is twice the national average.

Alaska has the highest alcohol-related death rate in the nation, for all age groups, seniors included. According to the survey, "older adults often develop alcohol and drug problems in response to loneliness, depression, poor social support networks and chronic pain." Nationwide, about 17 percent of seniors abuse alcohol or prescription drugs.

The survey also indicated that some seniors begin to have problems with alcohol after age 40 or 50, rather than earlier in life. Most older people receiving treatment for alcohol-related problems are early onset drinkers, or those who began drinking prior to the age of 40. Late onset drinkers often start to drink or increase their drinking in response to major life changes, including the loss of a loved one through death or divorce, failing health or retirement, the survey indicated.

The survey indicated that intervention may not work for older adults, because they may need more intensive treatment. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends treatment programs follow these procedures:

Treat older adults in age-specific settings if possible;

Create a culture of respect for older clients;

Approach treatment with an emphasis on age-specific psychological, social and health problems;

Keep the treatment flexible;

Adapt treatment as needed in response to the client's gender.

The Alaska Advisory Board on Alcoholism and Drub Abuse has a free online alcohol assessment on the Internet at www.abada.com. You can also find a treatment facility from the Web site www.findtreatment.samhsa.gov/facilitylocatordoc.htm.