Alcohol use in older adults: consumption patterns and the motivation to drink

Abstract

Up to 80% of older adults within Australia drink alcohol. National survey results indicate that the frequency of alcohol use is higher in older adults relative to other age groups. These findings are of particular importance because the physiological changes that accompany aging make older adults sensitive to even modest amounts of alcohol. The purpose of this study was to examine the extent of older adult’s drinking using multiple measures and criteria to capture the prevalence of various definitions of at-risk drinking. The study further sought to understand the cognitive and motivational processes behind older adults’ decision to drink by investigating alcohol expectancies and drinking mo..