Older drinkers 'a problem'

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by Change | 5 Mar 2009

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The government has revealed that the NHS is dealing with more alcohol problems among older drinkers.

Alcohol-related problems among older people are becoming increasingly frequent, it has been claimed.

According to figures from the NHS, staff are increasingly having to deal with problems related to alcohol among older people, rather than the problems associated with young binge drinkers.

The problem could suggest a rise in the number of older people with alcohol addictions in the UK, as the NHS data showed 320,000 admissions of pensioners with alcohol problems last year.

That represents an increase of two-thirds over the past four years, suggesting a significant problem among older people.

Addiction rehab clinics can also expect to see a rise in the years ahead if the number of cases admitted to hospital continues to rise, as more people will look for help with their addiction.

Experts have claimed that the availability of cheap alcohol in the UK could be contributing to the problem, as even pensioners on little money can afford to buy strong alcohol.

In Scotland, the government is planning new measures to crack down on the availability of cheap alcohol in shops and restaurants by imposing higher taxes.

The Scottish government is considering implementing a scheme that would require beverages to be priced according to the units of alcohol they contain, in an effort to reduce the number of people seeking addiction treatment at rehab clinics across the country due to alcohol abuse.

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