Alcohol Consumption by the Elder Member of the Family – What You Can Do

1. Alcohol Consumption by the Elder Member of the Family – What You Can Do Alcohol consumption is one of the toughest situations in elder care, whether the caregiver is a family member or a professional. If the concern of alcoholism is associated with the onset of dementia, it can further escalate the problems. Intervening is not just difficult but also heartbreaking when you suspect or you are aware of the fact that the health of an elder family member is being affected due to alcohol abuse. A person cannot decide for someone else to willingly restrain alcohol consumption and we usually do not have any choice about facing the consequences. A number of health concerns common to elder care rise in case of alcohol abuse. The balance becomes less steady, so it is more likely for such elders to experience falls leading to serious injuries. It also causes incontinence issues, leading to poor hygiene, infections and skin damage. While the harmful impact of alcohol on the neurological system is well-documented for all age groups and no one should drive while drinking. If this happens, you must know that now you require external intervention. Such behaviour needs to be stopped immediately as it puts the safety of other people at risk. At times, people who feel embarrassed about their alcohol consumption, report falsely about the amount of alcohol they consume. Under such situation, you can easily determine the amount of alcohol been bought through credit card receipts or the amount that came in from shopping and the amount that is left behind to get the accurate idea about alcohol consumption. In case the elder does not have a known history of alcohol abuse and there is no onset of dementia than the best approach is possibly a direct discussion. Most elders respond defensively when they are confronted for alcohol abuse. The objective is to encourage health and offer support and not to induce embarrassment. If the elder feels humiliated or ashamed then it can make it difficult for them to accept help. In such situation, a family friend or a professional counsellor can be a better choice. Sometimes the elder person has a medical condition that involves the physician’s recommendation about avoiding alcohol such as a prescribed drug treatment that restricts the use of alcohol. In such situation, one can engage the physician in the discussion. It may not make the elder person willing to quit but can assist in establishing a firm and unbiased opinion in the discussion and provides the ground for asserting that alcohol intake should be restricted.

2. Like always, there will be a need to maintain a stability between giving respect to your elders’ independence while protecting their health, the reason why home health care services stand out. You can seek the help of family and friends or you can look for professional help. Alcohol abuse is mostly referred to as a concern that impacts entire family and looking for help is usually the first step in making your life more controllable. Article Source: http://www.giveif.com/2018/06/21/alcohol-consumption-by-the-elder-member-of- the-family-what-you-can-do/