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Let Marketing Help Your Job Search A guide for family, friends and loved ones in
preparing for the effects of the growing elder
population …a Public Service from “Those Who

Care”

"Alcoholism in Our Elders" abusers – FYI, detoxification takes longer in elders than in younger
Q: I’m the first to admit there’s nothing like a nice glass of wine to adults).
help you come down from a horrendous day at the office. But more I know that we continually identify the many areas that must be
and more since dad passed away, I’m finding my 82 year old mother constantly observed in order to find or prevent harm coming to
with full glasses of wine at lunch time saying that it just helps her our elders, and it can seem overwhelming at times. However, these
relax, and not to worry she’s just fine. Should I be concerned or is folks are our parents or grandparents, the people who gave us life,
this a red flag? Thanks. raised us, and helped to form who we are today – we owe them our
A: The National Council on Alcoholism and Dependency defines love, respect and protection when they can no longer watch out for
alcoholism as: A primary, chronic disease with genetic, psycho- themselves.
logical and environmental manifestations. The disease is often
progressive and fatal. We tend to think it only pertains to certain
groups of people, yet there are no boundaries for whom the disease "Vitamin D in Our Elderly"
will affect. For example, our elder population is amongst a group Q: Have a cold?...fight back with mega doses of Vitamin D is what
for which alcoholism is at near epidemic proportions. I keep hearing. Can you shed some light on this to help out my 60
Why the increase of consumption to such a deleterious degree? year old body and give me some information to pass on to my folks
Quite simply, as we age many of life’s major passages (death of a who are in their 80’s as well. Thanks so much!
loved spouse, retirement, friends moving or dying, struggles with A: Recently, I ran across two items that piqued my interests and
money, etc.) can have a serious impact on one’s mental health, of- triggered curiosity: An article by Angil Tarach, RN, a franchisee,
tentimes leading to some form of substance abuse, i.e., alcoholism. and, the commercial by the actress Sally Field for osteoporosis.
Grief accompanying the loss of a loved one, isolationalism, depres- Both pieces were about the reduction of vitamin D in our systems
sion and marital problems are a few of the more well-known issues as we age.
that often face the elderly as they age. If unchecked or undetected, Here are some bits of information that relate to this situation:
these can lead to some form of substance abuse. And unfortu- Vitamin D is found in many substances such as fish, eggs, milk,
nately, this abuse is oftentimes missed by family and doctors until and is produced by the skin after exposure to sunlight. This
it reaches a very serious level. essential vitamin helps to maintain our normal blood levels of
Typically, seniors don’t display outrageous behaviors; such as calcium and phosphorous, assisting the body at keeping our bones
driving too fast after drinking or being very loud while dining out at strong and our blood pressure low, as well as warding off cancers.
a restaurant, thus keeping a lower profile. This low profile allows A research study conducted by the University of Colorado at Den- San Diego Woman
them to slide by authorities who might otherwise pick up on their ver and the Massachusetts General Hospital found that adults with
aberrant behaviors, eventually leading to some form of intervention insufficient levels of vitamin D die from heart disease at greater
possibly curtailing the negative behavior. So it goes that many se- rates than those with adequate levels of the vitamin.
niors not only have many significant triggers for consuming more The International Osteoporosis Foundation has identified several 31
alcohol, but the world around them is not geared to notice the signs other vitamin D issues within our elder population:
that they may need help in dealing with certain life issues. • A decrease in the capacity of the skin to synthesize vitamin D
Although treatment is always an important aspect of helping • A decrease in the capacity of the kidneys to convert vitamin D into
anyone with alcohol abuse issues, the first step is putting the many the most active form of the vitamin
pieces of the puzzle together to identify the problem that requires • A decrease in the efficiency with which the kidneys can retain
treatment. calcium, leading to increasing calcium loss in the urine
With that in mind, listed below are many possible symptoms to As we age, we lose the ability to absorb calcium from food. As a
look for if you suspect any form of substance abuse in your elder. result, osteoporosis becomes a greater threat to an elderly person’s
(Please remember that noticing one or two of these symptoms does overall health.
not necessarily indicate that the senior is an alcoholic, but rather As Angil stated in her article, there are many areas that vitamin
that those signs may lead to a need for treatment. And as always, D affects; especially when not at proper levels or full strength in
contacting a professional with your concerns is the best way to the body. For example, vitamin D plays a vital role in maintaining
seek help.) Some symptoms of alcohol abuse: strong bones and muscles, thus helping us prevent falls – one of
• Noticing bruises, abrasions and scars in locations that might the leading causes of death in the U.S. As mentioned above, lack
suggest falling of vitamin D can have a negative effect on the ability of the heart
• Sleep complaints to function properly. Angil further notes that the lack of vitamin D,
• Jerky eye movement an issue with chronic inflammation, “can cause many diseases,
• Numbness or tingling in extremities including rheumatoid arthritis, kidney and prostate disorders, au-
• Flushed face toimmune diseases; as well as disorders affecting the skin, pelvis,
• Poor or changing eating habits bowels, respiratory, and vascular systems.”
• Chronic pain With the aging process comes a decreased ability to take in vita-
• Tremors min D, thus increasing the risks of some of the issues mentioned
• Slurred speech above. The general population thinks that we should be healthy if
• Dry mouth we simply stick with the “daily recommended dosages” as offered
• Depression/isolation up by the U.S. Government. However, as we age, we change, and
• Incontinence our bodies don’t process nutrients as we once did.
• Anxiety It is strongly recommended that our elderly see their physicians
Treatment is first handled by recognition of the problem by the and have their blood composition reviewed to be certain that they
victim, and then with the help of professionals, solid and persistent have sufficient levels of vitamin D to allow their systems to work
interventions (i.e., groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) or most efficiently.
other groups that can handle the special needs of elder substance
March/April 2011