Over 50s and alcohol use

This page is for people over 50 years old, who drink more than the low-risk alcohol guidelines of 14 units per week, and are worried about their drinking.

It may also be helpful for your carers, friends, or health professionals who support you.

This information is not for people drinking in a dependent pattern. Please check your units on this unit calculator if you are unsure: Unit calculator | Alcohol Change UK

What’s different about alcohol for older people?

Anyone at any age can drink too much. Sometimes health problems can be mistaken for conditions related to ageing, rather than our drinking habits. People drink alcohol for many reasons:

It might just be habit or routine; they have always drunk.
Significant changes in life roles – retirement, no longer caring for dependent children, bereavement, separation – leading to more opportunity/time to drink.
Boredom, loss of social contacts, loss of hobbies/interests.
Change in social group, revolving around pubs/clubs.

As we age our bodies change:

We lose muscle and gain fat, so alcohol is broken down more slowly.
Our livers become less efficient at processing alcohol.
We can become more sensitive to the effects of alcohol.
Other health problems can also make us more susceptible to the effects of alcohol.
We sometimes react more slowly and balance can get worse - even a small amount of alcohol can make us more unsteady and at risk of falls.

So, even if our alcohol routine hasn’t changed it can affect us more and can impact on our quality of life

Lower risk drinking

The Department of Health Guidelines state that there is no safe level of alcohol use. The more you drink, the more likely it is that alcohol will harm your health. Drinking 14 units a week or less, is considered low risk. However, the changes to our bodies due to ageing, mean that safe drinking levels for older people are probably less than this.

To stay safer:

Track your alcohol use. Drink labels show how many units they contain. Online calculators (e.g. Alcohol Change UK) can help.
Understand units:
- A pint of ordinary strength beer (4%) or a double whiskey (50mls) both contain 2 units.
- A bottle of wine contains 8-10 units, so a glass of wine is 1-3 units depending on its size.
Why alcohol-free days matter: if you drink 10 units daily, you have alcohol in your body for 10 hours. Over time this puts strain on your liver, which is why alcohol-free days are so important.

Lower risk drinking advice is:

Have two or three alcohol-free days each week.
Spread drinks evenly over a few days.
Binge drinking (six or more units) over a matter of hours increases risk of accidental injuries and these risks can increase with age.

Risk behaviours

Alcohol can impair your judgement, memory and alter your behaviour. It may lead to:

Misreading situations and reacting in ways that are out of character
Increase your vulnerability to financial and sexual exploitation.
Arguments can escalate into assault or fights.

Delay making important decisions if you have been drinking; consider getting advice/support from trusted friends/family/ healthcare professions.

Driving

Don’t drink and drive. On average it takes a healthy liver an hour to process one unit of alcohol. An evening drink can mean you still have alcohol in your system the next morning. The safest option is to avoid drinking alcohol altogether when driving.

Alcohol and medicine

Alcohol can:

Increase the effect of sedatives or painkillers (e.g. causing drowsiness or respiratory problems).
Reduce the effects of medications like antidepressants and anticoagulants.

Check with your GP, pharmacist, or medication leaflet about safe alcohol use with your medication.

What are the risks of drinking too much?

Alcohol can damage nearly every part of the body:

Heart - weakening of the heart muscle can lead to a build-up of fluid in the lungs which results in shortness of breath.
Cancer - 6% of cancers world wide can be linked to alcohol. Mouth, stomach, liver and breast cancers have strong links with alcohol use.
Malnutrition - alcohol has lots of calories for energy, but none of the protein, fats, vitamins or minerals you need to keep the body in good repair. People who drink most days are recommended to take thiamine and Sanatogen.
Balance – increased risk of falls and injuries (even when not intoxicated).
Blackouts, seizures, or fits.
Stroke.
Poor sleep - broken sleep, early morning waking and daytime tiredness.
Menopause - increase in symptoms.
The stomach lining - ulcers or bleeding.
The liver - fatty liver, cirrhosis and liver failure.

Alcohol and mental health

Anxiety

Alcohol may provide short-term relief, but it increases anxiety in the long term, creating a cycle of dependence.

Depression

Alcohol is a depressant. It can lead to a loss of interest in things you used to enjoy, make you struggle to concentrate. You can feel tired, but have difficulty sleeping. Your appetite can be poor, and your body can become depleted of essential nutrition for normal brain function. In extreme cases you may feel life is not worth living.

Hearing voices

This is less common but can happen if you have been drinking heavily for a long time. It starts with vague noises, like leaves rustling, and gradually becomes distinct voices. These can be unpleasant and distracting.

Confusion and memory loss

Thiamine and magnesium are essential for brain function. Drinking combined with poor diet can result in low levels of these nutrients; this can cause confusion and poor memory.

Tips for cutting down

Changing your drinking habits can be hard but it is possible, and support is available.

Start with a drink diary (see example at the end of the leaflet). Knowing what and when you drink can help you plan realistic changes.

Have an alcohol reduction plan

Think about hobbies, interests and social opportunities that don't revolve around alcohol. This may be a brand new activity or something that you used to enjoy.
Alcohol can fill a gap when you are bored so don't leave space. Occupy yourself and get out of the routine/habits that revolve around alcohol.
Local Council websites/libraries will have information about volunteering opportunities, wellbeing groups and leisure activities in your local area.
Friends and family can support you to make changes.
Home measures are usually large ones. Use a measure or a smaller glass, and make sure you keep track. Don’t top-up your glass before it’s empty. Put the bottle away between drinks.
Make each drink last longer. Drink a soft drink or water with, or after, each alcoholic drink.
Eat something before drinking to slow alcohol absorption.
Plan two or three alcohol-free days a week.
If you slip up, don't give up! If it was an easy thing to do you would have done it already. Have a plan and celebrate small wins.

Getting help and support

If you are drinking dependently, it could be unpleasant or even dangerous for you to stop drinking suddenly as your body is used to alcohol.

Talk to your GP or a healthcare professional about alcohol. Each person is different, so speaking to a medical professional about your own circumstances is always a good starting point.

Ask about a prescription of thiamine and Sanatogen A-Z Complete.

Your GP may be able to offer a medically supported detox (depending on your alcohol intake, your physical/mental health, and your support at home). You will need a robust plan about how to stay abstinent following detox.

Your GP can offer information about local community alcohol service. They can refer you or you can self-refer. Community alcohol services, support you to make changes either by a safe/slow reduction or by medically supported detox.

If your goal is abstinence, but cravings for alcohol are a problem, there are medications that might be useful, to help reduce these cravings. Ask your GP or local alcohol service.

Discuss with your GP access to wellbeing support/social prescribing/counselling services. If you are drinking to help manage anxiety, low mood or physical problem, a wellbeing service can help provide alternative strategies, not reliant on alcohol.

Support Groups: Mutual aid organisations AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) and SMART Recovery. These offer abstinence based recovery support. Look at their websites for up to date meeting details.

By making healthier choices about alcohol you can start to see the positive effects on your health and wellbeing.

Support organisations

Drink Line:
National alcohol helpline.
0300 123 1110

Drink Aware
Tools and information for alcohol reduction.
0300 123 1110
Drinkaware Home | Drinkaware

SMART Recovery
CBT based mutual aid support group.
Self-Help Addiction Recovery | UK Smart Recovery

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)
Mutual aid support group.
Home - Alcoholics Anonymous Great Britain

BDP 50+ Crowd
Weekly group for people over 50 with past or current problematic alcohol or drug use.
The 50+ Crowd - Bristol Drugs Project

Horizons
Bristol alcohol service.
www.horizonsbristol.co.uk

DHI South Gloucestershire
South Gloucestershire alcohol service.
South Gloucestershire Drug and Alcohol Service | DHI

We Are With You
North Somerset alcohol service.
Drug and Alcohol Support in North Somerset | WithYou