Abstract
The interest in the alcohol use of older adults is growing, due to the unique physical impact of alcohol on the aging body and their abundantly drinking behaviour. In order to develop prevention or intervention programmes that meet the needs of older people, an understanding of their drinking behaviour is important. The aim of this study was therefore to investigate the amount of drinking of Dutch older adults and uncover reasons for their drinking behaviour. The study has a mixed-methods design, including a quantitative survey and qualitative phone interview. 941 Dutch older adults from the National Foundation of the Elderly finished the survey and 30 of them were additionally interviewed to uncover reasons for their drinking behaviour. Excessive alcohol (male > 21 and female > 14 glasses a week) use was found in 9.1 percent of Dutch older adults. One third of the drinkers drinks every day, on average two and a half glass. Among reasons for drinking alcohol were: loneliness, loss of structure, stress, positive associations with alcohol, special occasions and drinking in company. Older adults seem to be unaware of the negative consequences of alcohol to their health and the appropriate amount of drinking a day. It is therefore recommended to invest in the awareness of the effects of alcohol use by starting specific campaigns and enabling healthcare workers to recognize and treat harmful alcohol use of older adults.
