Maturity Moderr Publication of AARP February-Mareh 1 Under the influence 11 million Americans are hooked on alcohol 76 million have’an’ alcoholic in their family Who gets hurt? How can we stop it?

Will that fflendly drink

ByNan Robertson

1 f y 50th birthday was one of to be on the verge of a nervous break- Clrance os treatment. If you love your lI/l the happiest I ever knew. Yet down. The truth was, my heary drink- parcnts;yol owe them that.” IVf I was alone and a widorr. I ing was fiaally beginning to damage ‘t’fne rationale is that they haven’t had,.lost- my’ beloved husband five my life and my work But as I turned got lqg to livq” says Edith Lisansky yearsbefore;I had been demoted from 50 the following year, I was thanldul. Gomberg, Ph.D., a University of a prestigious job as a foreign colre- for a magnificent gift It was notling Michigan psychologist who has been spondent in Paris to reporter otr my less than a renewed capacity for hope studying.alcoholics for more than 40 newspaper’s women’s page; my closest and joy. I had been triated for alco- yeaul.and is a nationally known aunoBut friend ofrecent years was gooe. holism and sober for eight montls. Af- thosity on drinking in old age. My friend was the bottle. My em- ter a long period of self-destructive alcoholism is not a pleasure-it’s ployer had summoned me home to drinking, dramatically accelerated by weird to think it is. The consequences New York in 1975 because I seemed my husband’s death, I had finally de- both medically and in interpersonal cidedto be present at and accountable relationships are terrible.” for my own life. Studie.s have estimated that 10 to Now I am 65. I am retired” I am still 15 percent of all Americaus over age living alone. I am still sober. AndI can 60 suffer from alcoholism-about the look back on the 15 years since I sams percentage as the general popumarked my own half-century and say lation. This is true even though many honestly-despite struggle and seri- olderpggple drink less or abstain altoous illness and vanished friends-that gettrer, usually because drinking comthese have been my quatity years.. plicates, their medical problems or To be an alcoholic at any age is a simplymakes them feel bad. torment. Every one of us who escaped Honrdo you tell who is an alcoholthat misery remembers how isolated ic? O.ne of the best answers comes we rilere, how duplicitous, hour secret- from Al0oholics Anonymous-the lyfull of shame and guilt. And so I get oldes! mbst famous and arguably the angrywhen I hear, “It’stle onlyplea- most snccessful program devised to sure Mom/Dad has left Why deprive arrest the disease. AA gives this defiher/him of a little nip?” nition of alcoholism n-Time to Start I am notspeakingofsocial drinking Liiving,,i pamphlet for older people: here. I am speaking of alcoholism: .,,,,n’Y/h0ther or not you are an alco, problem drinking that distorts the holic’is not determined by where you lives of an estimated.two-anda-half drinl when you started drinking, how millioa to’ three-and:a=half million longyou’vebeen drinking, . . . what, or older Americans, estranging them ev,e[.how much. The true test is the from family and friends and trapping answer to this question: What has althem in a fog of bluned reactions. cohol done to you? If it has affected Cantankerousness, confusion, memo- your relationships; if it has influenced ry Baps, depression,. anxiety.-all too the way you schedule your days; if it :

often, both doctors and ,kin, dismiss, ‘ has affected your health, . . . ifyou are these africtions a$ a’rnatural part’of in any way preoccupied with alcogrou,ing old.’ It is just as likely that hol–tben the likelihood is that you alcohol is to,blame, or, at.the,.very have a problem.’

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B=.:-r .1fusii.children’have.,moved far,:,,-.oftsttlestashes,thesecoultlalsoindie away, ttrey have retired from their cate prescription drug abuse; in any l..:.i[6s,.1tr;healthis sotrs robuSt as it tyotrtr the person demonstrating such ,, – once was. They are bored, lonely, in- symptoms is in trouble.) ‘ variably ugprf HiEu. depressed. Alcohol takes the tr Abrupt ,aufuPt or significant slrilltgsli t,r urguulsauL changes ru in 1 =-,;,Yilft4ur] edge offthose negative feelings-for a behavior: hostility, paranoia, disorien-

nbecomplCte.”,,i: be complete., Thencameal988studyofalcoholuse – . -J – burns. :’the’late.oo$et inthreeretirementcommunitiesinthe o Bottles stashed in the home. lbytrarmat- ” TVest. The study fouod that drinking (“Home health aides report many isveryrapid, waspartofthecommunities’lif”styte bottles in homes visited,” says a:1oar ortwolhe piogres- ,with+S percent of the residents drink- Dupree.) ‘ ,” ,i ‘ ,hg on a regular basis and 2? percent Once alcoholism iris suspected, how oftheiealydrinlaershavingincreased do you get an older person to seek

..: Oldei alcoholic.s are often hard to people about the ‘stigma’ of alcoholspol Detestirg the problem is diffi- ism,” says Jean Dunlop, R.N, M.A., cult because the signs by which society and a certified chemical dependency and the law identify younger drinkers counselorwho runs an outpatient proare usually not there. These include gram for older alcoholics at St. Vinarrestsfordrunkdriving(manyolder cent Hospital in Portland, Oregon. people have stopped driving),-warn- “The disease concept of alcoholism ings from employers about tardiness, was accepted bythe American Mediwaning productivity, etc. cal Association back in 1956, but How, then, can you tell when some- thase people have never heard of it. thingis wrong? When they weregrowing up, alcohol- “You can’t say the problem is defi- ics were skid-row bums; immoral, nitely alcohol-related unless yorr have weak people. You show them films areyewitness,the patie,ntadmitstoit, and bring them to lectures and they or his or her physical mndition has say,’Well, it’s very interesting, but I deteriorated noticeably,’ says Larry still think I was at fault I had no will- W. Dupree, Ph.D., clinical psycholo- poursr.”‘ grst and associate research professor DunlopandottrersfeelthenumberintheDepartmentofAgingandMen- one motivator that gets an older pertal Health at the Florida Mental son into treatment is a doctor who Health Institute, University of South points out the medical problems Florida at Tampa. drinking is cre ating. Zito and still oth- If you are a friend, helper or relative continued on page 30

MM February-March 1992

cific’lists about ev drinking.Thegoal alcohol- get the alcoholic t needforhelp, however ren’t biolght up Thesuggested ,ti6nalproblems, ins and sentle. The use of uiords like alooholism as a “dirok; “drunkard” or “alcoholiC’ theyounger people now pouring into should be avoided. Those who, treat treatmeai. The profanity, the talk o$$6c€$sery. , older patients agree that the confron’ about abuse of illegal street drugs that involves presenting rvention involve-s Presentmg tational approach” though it often often accompanies alcoholism in the s about tho alcoholism to the works well with younger patients, is young, the horror stories told in go_ry nin a tone thatis nonjudgmen- absolutely wrong for older people. It is detail-atl of this turns off the older essential, says Zitq thatthe interyen- person, some sxperts say. – DanAndersonof Hazeldenisinthe .’,”*Idaall$ all perso,rs who are meaning- tion be coordinated and conducted by : ftrL,to the alcoholiq such as family, a trained professional. middle. “It depends on hou, dominant ,’friends, neighbors, religious adviser, Once into treatment, the late-onset the young people are in the group,” he drinker usually responds well. But continued on Page 65 ,, Bhysician, should make clear and spe’

ElGohol and presoription drugs Sleeping medications (e.g., H alcion, Dalmane) Excessive drowsiness, impaired coordination, mental Tranqufuzers (e.8., Xanax, Yalium, Ativan) confusion, rapid intoxication, loss of consciousness, Anti-depressants (e.g., E lavil, Tofranil) impaired breathing. Pain relievers (e.g., Percodaq codeine) Can be fatal. Some muscle relaxants (e.g., Robaxin, Soma) Antihistamines (e.g., Chlor-Trimeton, Benadryl) Motion-sickness pills (e.g., Dramamine) Allergy medications (e.g., Contac, Dristan) Some cough/cold products Some higfr'{lood-pressure medications (e.g., Aldomet)

Anti-anginal medication (e.g., I sordil, nitroglycerin) Dizziness, fainting, lightheadedness, loss of Some high-blood-pressure medications (e-9., Minipress, consciousness, falls that could result in physical Apre s oline, diuretics) injury.

Aspirin Increase in stomach irritation, possible increase in Anti-arthritic medications (e.g., Feldene, N aprosyn, stomach bleeding. ibuprofen) Potassium tablets Blood thinners (e.g., Coumadin)

Flagyl Can cause Ant abuse’like reaction (weakness, Ora[ anti-diabetic medications (e.g., Orinase) headache, nausea/vomiting, flushing, rapid Some anti-fungal and antibiotics agents heartbeat, difficulty breathing). (e.g., ChloromYcetin)

Blood thinners (e.g., Coumadin) Interference with control of certain medical Anti-diabetic medications (e.g., Miuonase, insulin) conditions (diabetes, epilepsy, gout). Can cause Epitepsy medication (e.g., Dilantin) change in effectiveness of drug treatment. Gout medication (e.g., ZYloPrim) REPRlNTEDwlTHPERMtssIoNoFsRx-MEDtcATloNEDUcATroNFoRsENloRsPRoGRAMoFsANFMncls

February-March 1992

The intimate enemy continuedfrom page 30

says. “It is the duty ofolder people to defend the traditional culture and the duty of ttre young to tear it down. On the other hand, a lot of folks just don’t want to be in a group where everybody else is also 70 years old.” Zito believes that after the initial shoclg older patients are stimulated by daily contact with young alcoholics. She spoke of Virginia, a woman who came into treatment in her mid-7Os after an intervention by her 1-yearold son. Virginia had been drinking almost suicidally since the death of her husband three years before. She immediately complained that she was older than the other patients and no one could understand what she was going through. Soon, however, the person she became closest to was a 21year-old male patient, with whom she spent many hours talking. Virginia was strongly encouraged to attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings regularly after her discharge from Smitlers. The comment of John T. Schwarzlose, executive vice presi, dent of the Betty Ford Center in Rancho Mirage, California, is typical: “Patients ask how important it is to go to AA after they’re through here. I say, ‘I can give you a guarantee: When you leave here, if you don’t go to AA, you won’t make it.”‘ Eleven years later, Virginia is still going to AA. She reconnected with her son and grandchildren; she made many new friends in AA and became a mentor to newcomers, particularly the young; she reached out to old friends from whom she had isolated herself after her husband’s death. She occasionally dropped by the Smithers rehab center to report her progress. Says Zito, “As the years went by Virginia seemed to get younger and appeared to become a stronger and more vital person. She found a place for herself and contributed to the world.” At last, Virginia-now in her late 80s-was enjoying the “golden years” she’d been promised. I know how Virginia feels. I’vebeen there. r February-March 1992 MM