Geriatric individuals that misuse alcohol also tend to attract less social and legal attention than their younger counterparts due to the limited activities they participate in (Sarfraz, 2003).

Under detection, under reporting, and under recognition are all closely related to one another in this population (Sarfraz, 2003). For example, older individuals, especially older women, are rarely asked about their alcohol consumption by physicians and other health professionals (Aira et al., 2005).

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Screening older adults for problems with drinking is important in many settings, but is reported to have very low delivery rates (Fink et al., 2005).

In the overall treatment of alcohol disorders in the geriatric population, physicians tend to focus on decreasing the frequency and amount of consumption instead of the interaction of alcohol with the individual’s health, functional status, and medication (Fink et al., 2005).

When treating older adults for alcoholism, it has been suggested that the amount of dysfunction in the individual in all areas is more important than the amount and frequency of use (Fink et al., 2005).

In addition, since many of these older individuals begin drinking due to new struggles and stressors, such as bereavements and retirement, appropriate treatment should help alleviate mental distress while also assisting them in becoming more effective in meeting their medical, social, and financial needs (Arean, Ayalon, Jin, McCulloch, Linkins, Chen, McDonnell-Herr, Levkoff, & Estes, 2008).

Since there may be some health benefits related to low intake of alcohol, total abstinence should not be the primary goal when working with these individuals (Aira et al., 2005).

When these individuals have a history of severe withdrawal from alcoholism should be monitored in the hospital, whereas individuals without this history can generally be managed with supportive care at home (Menninger, 2002).

There is an increase in morbidity with alcohol withdrawal when concurrent medical problems exist with alcoholism, such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension, coronary artery disease, and seizure disorder (Menninger, 2002).

In these cases, inpatient detoxification is likely warranted. During withdrawal, benzodiazepines remain the mainstay of pharmacological management, with short-acting ones are used in individuals with comorbid liver dysfunction (Menninger, 2002).

Overall Summary

Brief interventions are suggested that generally consist of two or three 10-15 minute sessions, which may include brief advice, motivation-for-change strategies, patient education, assessment and direct feedback, contracting and goal setting, behavioral motivation techniques, and the use of written materials such as self-help manuals (Aira et al., 2005; Menninger, 2002).

These sessions should be individualized, giving detailed and personalized reports of their drinking classification and educational information regarding the risks of drinking in combination with their medical conditions and current medication usage (Aira et al., 2005; Fink et al., 2005).

These brief interventions are suggested to be efficacious in reducing binge drinking, alcohol consumption, and the frequency of excessive drinking in this population (Menninger, 2002).

The cost-benefit ratio of using brief interventions with the geriatric population struggling from alcohol misuse is in favor of the intervention by more than five to one because of the savings that result in emergency departments and hospitals and motor vehicle accidents (Menninger, 2002).

The amount of individuals in the geriatric population is currently the fastest growing age group in the USA. The more individuals that enter into this age group will result in a greater amount of alcohol problems. Alcohol problems in this population tend to lead to an increase in medical, psychological, and social consequences (Menninger, 2002).

Since this is becoming a greater concern for the USA, physicians and caregivers need to be more cognizant of their elder families and client’s potential alcohol problems.

Physicians and caregivers will be better able to treat alcoholism in the geriatric individuals if they have the knowledge regarding the prevalence, existence, signs, symptoms, typical barriers to detection, typical screening measures, appropriate treatment interventions, and the potential favorable prognosis of this disorder in the older age group (Menninger, 2002).

The biological vulnerability should also be discussed to help explain the greater effects of smaller amounts of alcohol on the geriatric individuals.

Since many older individuals who have a positive history of problem drinking in the past tend to have poorer health status and survival, the screening measurements regarding past misuse of alcohol is important (Bridevaux et al., 2006).

Screening for alcoholism in all elderly individuals is important and can best be performed initially through giving the CAGE. This assessment is quick and easy to use, and may have higher specificity if modified by taking out the cut-down question.

During treatment of alcoholism in the geriatric population, it is better to use brief psychoeducational interventions that are specifically designed for that individual. These interventions are more efficacious if they provide detailed information regarding the specific adverse and interaction effects that alcohol use may have with their medical issues and medication use.

Although healthy drinking is possible in this population, the potential interaction effects and internal organ problems suggest that many older individuals using alcohol should be cautious and educated on how its use may affect them.

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