Working with Older People with Alcohol Problems: Insight from Specialist Substance Misuse Professionals and their Service Users: Sarah Wadd & Sarah Galvani

Whilst the majority of people reduce or abstain from drinking in later life, some older people develop an alcohol problem for the first time (Adams, Garry, Rhyne, Hunt, & Goodwin, 1990; Johnson, Gruenewald, Treno, & Taff, 1998; Liberto, Oslin, & Ruskin, 1992; Moore, Endo, & Carter, 2003; Moos, Brennan, Schutte, & Moos, 2005). Known as ‘late-onset’ drinkers or ‘reactors’ because their drinking is often related to stresses associated with ageing (Graham, Zeidman, Flower, Saunders, & WhiteCampbell, 1992), this group make up approximately one third of older people with alcohol problems (Dufour & Fuller, 1995; Mellor et al., 1996). ‘Early-onset’ drinkers comprise the remaining two thirds and are individuals who first develop an alcohol problem earlier in life and have continued problem drinking as they age.