A new study of seniors’ drinking habits found that most assisted living residents drink alcohol and many drink to the point that alcohol influences their health, raising the question of what providers should do to minimize risk while respecting choice.

The study, conducted by the University of Pittsburgh, interviewed more than 800 nursing aides working in assisted living communities about residents’ alcohol use. Researchers found that nearly 70 percent of older adults in assisted living communities drink alcohol, and more than a third drink on a daily basis. Almost 20 percent have consumed alcohol to the point that alcohol influenced their health in some manner within the past three months, and 12 percent have abused alcohol in the same timeframe.

Researchers do not believe that alcohol misuse increases with age, but the consequences of drinking do change. Seniors’ tolerance is lowered, and drinking is more likely to cause falls, high blood pressure, and other problems in older adults. Seniors are also less likely than younger adults to be asked by physicians about their alcohol use, which makes identifying and treating alcohol abuse difficult.

The research offers preliminary evidence that alcohol abuse is a problem for some residents in assisted living, but researchers do not think alcohol should be banned altogether. “Taking away things elders enjoy is the last thing we want to do,” Dr. Castle, a researcher on the study, said. “We want to at least put this on the radar screen. This exists. Maybe there should be more awareness. Maybe there should be therapies and treatments.”

To purchase the article: “Alcohol Misuse and Abuse Reported by Nurse Aides in Assisted Living” or read the study’s abstract visit the journal: Research on Aging.

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