From wine glasses served on festive holiday tables to New Year’s Eve champagne toasts, alcohol can often be found during our residents’ holiday celebrations. Also known as ethanol, alcohol is a chemical found in beer, wine, and distilled spirits such as whiskey, vodka, and rum. The 2012-2013 National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions 111 found that 55.2% of adults over the age of 65 (more men than women) do tend to over drink this form of ethanol. They don’t necessarily have a drinking problem or are classified as alcoholics (a condition causing numerous serious health issues), according to NESARC 111. But on occasion, the seniors do drink over the recommended daily limits. It is important to realize that alcohol adds a great deal of wasted calories to the body. It stimulates the appetite, but tends to have the consumer choose less nutritious food than they normally would.
In addition to the above factors, how else does frequent alcoholic consumption during the holidays become a problem for us here at Sun City? According to NIHSeniorHealth, “Limited research suggests that sensitivity to alcohol’s health effects may increase with age.”
This can be due in part to the decreased amount of water in our bodies as we age which becomes ineffective in diluting the alcohol consumed. Harvard Women’s Health Watch (December, 2105) cautions women, in particular with their smaller bodies, less water content, and tinier circulatory systems, that they metabolize alcohol with greater difficulty than men. But in general, alcohol’s negative effects are felt sooner and remain longer in any older person’s bloodstream. Slurred speech and lack of coordination, sleepiness, confusion, nausea, vomiting, and headaches may occur. These health issues can become more evident even if our holiday drinking habits haven’t changed through the years. Under these circumstances, frequent falls, poor judgment calls, especially when driving in an automobile, can develop into tragic situations.
It is a known fact that heavy drinking over a period of time can cause damage to the liver, the heart, and the brain. Drinking beverages at any time with high alcoholic concentrations can also make some health conditions worse or deadly for the already aging body. NIHSeniorHealth informs us that these conditions include diabetes, high blood pressure, congestive heart failure, liver problems, memory problems, and mood disorders.
It is pertinent then that seniors who take one or more medications daily (whether over the counter or in prescription form or found in herbal remedies) ask themselves the question: “Is it safe to drink alcoholic products?” Livescience.com informs us “In some cases, mixing alcohol with meds can be dangerous. Some drugs contain ingredients that can react with alcohol, making them (drugs) less effective.” Harvard Women’s Health Watch mentions “Overdoing it at a party – drinking too much alcohol and eating too much salty food – can cause a fast, irregular heartbeat called “holiday heart.” This condition usually lasts for only a brief time, requiring emergency treatment if it continues for longer. Years ago, a diabetic young acquaintance of mine died from the extreme lowering of his blood sugar count as a result of too much alcohol consumption during a brief period of time. Because medications stay in the body for at least several hours, NIHSeniorHealth, says “…you can still experience a problem if you drink alcohol hours after taking a pill.” The website cautions us to first discuss our meds with a doctor, pharmacist, or health provider before beginning a holiday celebration of this kind.
