Alcohol Use Among Elders: Understanding of the Prevalence of the Risk Factors - Research Paper Example

Introduction The use or abuse of alcohol by elders has been one of the major problems in the society in the United States and may lead to increased distress or harm to a person who is at an advanced stage in terms of age. The abuse of alcohol by an elder may be in the form of an elder taking excessive amount of alcohol which may lead him to be affected in what he is expected of both in the social and economic aspect of life (Blazer and Wu, 2009). This means that the current efforts or intervention to prevent the alcohol use among adults requires that there is a significant understanding of the prevalence and the identity of the risk factors that makes the elder persons to be disposed to the use of alcohol. The efforts aimed at preventing the abuse of alcohol by elders therefore require that the stakeholders concerned have a comprehension of how prevalent the abuse of the alcohol is by this particular group and how to identify the risk factors as well as how to remove them. It also requires that we appreciate the role played by the public in aiding the prevention of the abuse of alcohol by elder persons who are unique members of the society due to their special needs. Alcohol Use among Elders Alcohol remains the most commonly abused substance by elders that causes profound effects on their well-being (Lowinson, 2005). These elders are vulnerable in that they suffer disproportionately in terms of physical and psychological distress that complicates matters in the support, management, and treatment regime that is adopted for treating the alcohol problem. It is difficult to know the exact figures of how prevalent the risks are for elders who drink alcohol as there is little research on it, but there is agreement that the prevalence rates in the community range from 3 per cent to 25 per cent while the problems associated with drinking stand at 2.2 to 9.6 per cent. In the United States, excessive use of alcohol by persons over the age of sixty five years account for about 21, 000 deaths each year while in the year 2006 alone, it cost the U.S economy $223.5 billion. This also represents a figure of 3.8% among adults aged 65 or older who involved in excessive consumption of alcohol, which is consumed between five to six times in every month (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2013). This increased their risks for illnesses and medical conditions such as heart disease as well as liver disease and other social problems. The abuse of alcohol by elders is a serious problem that affects all those concerned and this occurs in the community setting which may be in the form of neglect by those charged by the task of care giving as well as those that have involved themselves in physical and psychological abuse. Elder abuse of alcohol may lead to certain effects, which may include the dependence of these elders to relatives for financial independence, the neglect of responsibilities by those charged by those charged by care giving and impaired judgment. Another problem is that those charged with care giving may end up encouraging that elder person who has drunk to drink in order that he exploits him financially. Elders who use alcohol may also find themselves using alcohol as a leeway to mete violence to their partners or abuse them physically in the relationship. Elder use and abuse of alcohol may result into several impacts, which may include physical, emotional, and psychological problems, malnourishment, financial problems as well as depression amongst other negative effects (Gold and Adamec, 2010). The use of alcohol by the elders makes them to be weak physically and when they are subjected to violent conduct or are injured, they take a considerably longer time to heal. It also increases the seriousness of injuries suffered while the victims; there is serious financial impact which ultimately affects how a person lives and the standard. The elder abuse of alcohol also has the effect of reducing the life expectancy of the person as well as a wide range of health problems which affect vital organs such as the heart, kidneys and the liver. The fact that the elders find it difficult to metabolize alcohol, the resultant effects of the excessive consumption of alcohol may be more pronounced and severe which also affect how the elder carries out himself and his life. Risk Factors for Alcohol Abuse by Elders The risk factors that are related to alcohol abuse by elders include social isolation, physical impairment as well as the impairment in the cognitive functions of a person (Myers and Isralowitz, 2011). Gender may play a role in areas where the females or women have been found to be in a more risky position for abuse. Those who perpetrate the elder abuse of alcohol are susceptible to risk factors such as mental and physical problems as well as finances, which will dictate how they handle the elder person who has abused the alcohol. At times there are cultural risks which include such phenomena such as sexism, ageism and the tolerance of violent conduct which may lead to the abuse of the elder persons when it comes to the consumption of alcohol. When it comes to elder abuse due to alcohol, the dependence on alcohol and its consumption to harmful levels have the effect of increasing the level at which a person neglects himself which also increases his vulnerability. The consumption of alcohol to harmful levels by those charged with care giving also lead to the abuse of the elders and its perpetration. This means that those people who have come of age the fact that one has an older relative who has a problem with drinking of alcohol puts them at risk of being victims especially when dependent on that elder. In addition, these elders are likely to remain in a relationship that is abusive especially if the abuser is a highly dependent person, husband, or wife. The cultural expectations of a particular group of persons on what alcohol does for them are also to be addressed as they are also risk factors that predispose older persons to the use of alcohol. This occurs when a victim has the belief that the consumption of alcohol by an abuser is the reason for the abuse and there is a promise to stop drinking which leads to the failure to address the particular abuse. In other societies, elder use and abuse of alcohol is attributed to bouts of poverty, disorder in the social system as well as the absence of policy or framework to protect the elders who are soft candidates for socio-economic exploitation especially with the use of alcohol. Current Treatment and Intervention Strategies In the treatment of alcohol use amongst elders, it is important to understand how to engage the elders in a more respectful and forth rite manner with proper emphasis on communication which will be helpful in understanding the problem suffered by the elder (Krajewski, 2006). The elder should be gently persuaded through motivation in order to give out the desirable treatment regime that they are willing to adopt and are comfortable with. The initial goal should be to change the drinking behavior of the elder through the reduction or abstinence strategies in order to reduce the harm suffered by the use of the alcohol. The patients that can ably abstain from drinking alcohol should be prevented from relapsing into the drinking problem with the sole aim of always making them sober. Further, the treatment strategy will aim at addressing the psychological factors that promote the use and abuse of alcohol by the elders which may include stress and depression while at the same time addressing the social factors that exacerbate alcohol abuse. Older people can be treated of alcohol-related problems through inpatient programs or therapy organized by community-based groups, which must be taken in a timely manner as from the moment of diagnosis to detoxification (Beechem, 2002). There is need to assess the treatment option that has been prescribed through the support of the family while the cognitively and physically frail elders can be subjected to geriatric assessment. After, this they could be referred to the relevant community or referral facilities, which may provide home-based care, nutritional programs as well as other services to the convalescing elder. The foremost prevention strategies to reduce the elder abuse in the use of alcohol include the provision of protection and support services, programs to educate the caregivers as well as the victims and the reporting of the cases of elder use and abuse of alcohol (Beechem, 2002). This requires that we appropriately identify the victims in a convenient and timely manner while we also ensure that there is adequate screening of the victims to find the best course of action. It is also important that we are aware of the rights of the victims as well as the necessary support services so that the intervention appreciates the unique nature of the elder. The alcohol services must therefore take in consideration the needs of the older person and his problem in dealing with the problem of alcohol with the aim of having a health elder in the society. The public health should also prioritize in its intervention the need to collect and collate information on how prevalent the elder abuse of alcohol occurs, the level of consumption of alcohol and the drinking patterns amongst these elders (Beechem, 2002). The intervention must also aim at advocating for the raising of awareness of the fact that elders do abuse alcohol and may lead them to problems such as violence. It also calls for the promotion, conducting, and the evaluation of research on the links between the abuse of alcohol by elders and their effects to the victims or the perpetrators with an aim of understanding the risk factors and their extent. The concerned authorities and stakeholders must endeavor to identify, evaluate and implement interventions that have been proven to be effective in the response and prevention of alcohol use and abuse by the elders. Further, in the provision of specialist services in the support of elders with alcohol-related problems, it is important to fully comprehend the needs of the older person and the problems that are caused to him or by him due to the consumption of alcohol. All agencies must also be fully involved in preventing elder abuse of alcohol by raising the awareness of the connection between harmful use and abuse of alcohol by elders and its consequences to the individual and the society. Conclusion Alcohol-related elder abuse amongst elders has become a serious problem with the major risk factor being the alcohol misuse by either the perpetrator or the victim of the use of the alcohol. In instances where the victim is found to abuse alcohol, there is high chance of that person being abused financially by other persons while the use of alcohol also increases the vulnerability of that person to be abused by others or to neglect himself. When a perpetrator misuses alcohol, there is increased chance of physical abuse for the elder showing the detrimental effects of abuse of alcohol. This requires that there is a more comprehensive approach in dealing with the problem of alcohol use amongst elders which may include the adoption of preventive strategies within the community which address the use and misuse of alcohol. This should also include having an evidence-based strategy for intervention for alcohol use and abuse amongst elders in order that there is adequate support, advice and monitoring of the use and abuse of alcohol amongst older people. The person-centered interventions that are adopted within the community must address the kind of abuse, the risk factors that cause the elder abuse of the alcohol as well as the circumstances of the older person. More important is the provision of training and education services for the social and healthcare of the elders who have been found to abuse alcohol to their detriment. Through such strategies, we will be able to address the problem of alcohol use amongst the older people in the society, and how it affects them in their individual capacity and the society. References Beechem, M. (2002). Elderly Alcoholism: Intervention Strategies. Springfield: Charles C Thomas Publisher, LTD. Blazer, D. G., & Wu, L.-T. (January 01, 2009). The Epidemiology of Substance Use and Disorders Among Middle Aged and Elderly Community Adults: National Survey on Drug Use and Health. 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