ABSTRACT
Theelderly(post-retirement)nowcomprise20percentofthepopulationintheUK andotherdevelopedcountries.Peoplearelivinglongerandtoreachtheageof85 orovermustnowberegardedasunexceptional.Medicalandsocialcareofthe elderlywithdrugandalcoholproblemshasbeenandstillisarelativelyneglected areawithintheaddictionsfield.Similarly,researchintothisproblemhasbeen largelyignoredandwhereithasbeencarriedoutithastendedtobein'older'people (55to75years)ratherthanintheveryold(70yearsormore).
