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The Seniors' Health Study
Overview of our Health Study:
In 1996-7, we reviewed the health of 442 seniors referred to an
outreach program during a five year period. This outreach program
offers counselling to adults aged 55 and over ( the average age is 70)
who are experiencing alcohol or other drug problems. We compared
those findings to the health of Canadian younger adults with alcohol
problems, and to Canadian seniors generally.
The results are very striking:
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In other words these
seniors had significantly more health problems than the general
senior population, and they were in far worse health than middle
aged adults with similar alcohol- related problems. In some
cases, alcohol consumption is responsible for the poor health. In
other situations, the person may be drinking to numb the pain or
isolation stemming from the poor health.
| HALS (a) or the National Population Health Survey (b) | The National Population Health Survey , for people aged 75+ | SWAP clients (age 55+) |
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| Cancer | 4.2% (b) | 11% | |
| Visual Impairments |
5.9% (b) | 12.3% | 10% |
| Mobility Impairments |
8.1% (b) | 19.9% | 33% |
| Chronic bronchitis, emphysema | 5.7% (b) | 12% | |
| Stomach, intestinal ulcers |
5.1% (b) | 4.4 %(b) | 14% |
| Cognitive impairments | 28% (usually short term memory problems) |
What The
Findings Mean
The findings
demonstrate the complex issues which these seniors are facing and
the challenges facing those trying to help them. The person who
has an alcohol problem and health problems at the same time has
special needs that must be taken into account.
It is important to recognize that alcohol does not necessarily cause these health problems in seniors. In some cases, the health problem was there already. Some seniors turn to alcohol as a way of dealing with the impairment, disability, or declining health (or with the increasing isolation that often comes with it).
It is also important to
realize that if the person is able to get help for the alcohol
problem, all the health problems will not magically go away. As will be noted in the section on Chronic Pain (upcoming), take away the alcohol, and
the pain is still going to be there.
Each of these health problems complicates the senior's ability to access alcohol and drug services or other services that might help them cope better. Helping someone with so many health problems (in addition to the alcohol or medication problem) is likely to be far more complex, and it will likely take considerably more time than helping a younger (and likely healthier) adult.
Page last updated Thursday May 13, 2004
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