Calls for further action to address alcohol harms amongst older adults have been made with the release of a new charter from Drink Wise Age Well.
The report, 'Calling time for change: A charter to support all older adults in Scotland to live free from the harm caused by alcohol' [pdf here], follows charters for England, Ireland and Wales and a series of reports including a call for end to age discrimination in alcohol policy and treatment.
Over recent years, groups have continued to highlight the issue of alcohol harm amongst older adults, often identifying a persistent focus of media and policy attention towards younger drinkers. As has been consistently noted, significant falls in younger people's drinking have not been seen in older age groups, where consumption and harms have continued to increase on a number of measures - see a Drink Wise age well blog here by Colin Angus.
The Charter, which was co-created by people with lived experience and experts in alcohol and ageing, aims to provide insights and practical solutions to commissioners, service providers and policy roles. It highlights in Scotland, 55-64 year olds are the most likely to exceed the UK drinking guidelines, which has fallen in all age groups in since 2003 except older age groups.
Recommendations for policy-makers in the charter include:
- A dedicated service within health and social care which is able to respond to the needs of an ageing population with alcohol problems
- Enable better collaboration and partnership amongst service providers
- More recognition of the importance of supporting people through life events, which are often the triggers for alcohol misuse e.g. retirement, bereavement
- Greater support of community-based services to tackle loneliness and support recovery
- Government must address how drinking culture is enabled by policy and legislation.
An Addaction blog, 'The hidden generation of drinkers', explored some of the key issues experienced by older adults. In the piece Dr Tony Rao, a specialist in the area, identifies “isolation, loneliness, depression and bereavement” as common factors in people developing problems with alcohol in later life.
Rao however identifies the cultural factors also associated with the 'baby boomer generation' who have been exposed to a "very permissive" drinking culture and the growing affordability and availability of alcohol. However, older adults can be at even greater risk from alcohol use, as has been highlighted by work from the Royal College of Psychiatrists who have called for a lower guideline for older drinkers.
Rao says a barrier to treatment for people over 50 is “they’re generally a lot more private and are fearful that by being honest about their drinking pattern someone will accuse them of being an alcoholic”, echoing a 2016 report calling for end to the stigmatisation of older adult's drinking. Numbers of over 65s receiving treatment, however, have fallen significantly according to figures from Public Health England.
Julie Breslin, head of Drink Wise Age Well, highlights the role friends and family can play in providing support, but advises they should talk about concerns in terms of “what’s changed in their life” rather than their drinking. Breslin reiterates “it’s about trying to identify the reasons and understand what’s happened”, and to “approach it in a non-combative way and not to challenge someone when they have been drinking.”
Wider policy change
Many will note calls for actions to help older adults include many measures called for in a wider context, including pricing measures and improved treatment access. Last year an alcohol charter was released by a number of organisations calling for a new alcohol strategy to reflect the PHE evidence review for reducing alcohol harm. With the continuing trends of harms increasingly evident amongst older groups, the case for targetted and specific support continues to grow.
Drink Wise Age Well however is approaching the end of its Lottery funded period following an award of £25 million lottery funding in 2014, though aims to leave a lasting legacy, particularly in the five project locations it has operated. Others no doubt will continue to push for further action from government to support both national and local level action deemed as necessary to help reduce alcohol harms across all groups.
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