CONTENTS

Table of Contents
Introduction

1. Overview
2. Recognizing Alcohol Misuse and Abuse in Older Adults
3. Alcohol and Aging
4. Diagnosing Alcohol Problems in Older Adults
5. Recognizing Other Forms of Substance Abuse
6. Prevention and Early Intervention Strategies
7. Treatment
8. Outcomes and Cost Issues in Alcohol Treatment for Older Adults
9. Legal and Ethical Issues

Supplements
Resources

At Any Age, It Does Matter:
Substance Abuse and Older Adults (for Professionals)

Other Behaviors

Alcohol-impaired driving is only one negative consequence of alcohol use. Typical Behaviors at Various Blood Alcohol Levels is a chart showing what can happen as consumption increases. It is important to note that because of lower alcohol tolerance, older persons may reach various BALs with less consumption than younger persons. For example, an older person may have a BAL of .10 and be legally drunk after two or three drinks whereas a younger person may have a BAL of .05 and be less impaired.

Another problem is that alcohol can impair judgment, causing people to engage in risky behaviors. For example, alcohol use can lead people to have unprotected sex, and many contract HIV and AIDS. Older persons with AIDS get sick and die sooner than younger persons. This is due to late diagnosis of the disease as well as co-infection with other diseases that may speed the progression of AIDS. Also, new drugs for HIV treatment may interact with medications the older person is taking to treat preexisting chronic conditions. (See HIV, AIDS, and Older Adults for more information.)