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Happy Hour is Over!

As people go through the aging process, they may find that their bodies are no longer as sturdy and hardy as they used to be; and that certain activities and lifestyle choices that were once perfectly normal now affect them very differently. This phenomenon manifests itself in many different ways, but a major one for many of our loved ones, and one that affects every part of life, is diet. Foods that a loved one used to love, and enjoy regularly, may now not be the best thing for them. Among the many physiological changes that characterize aging is a general slowdown of the metabolism, which makes it harder for seniors to stick to dietary choices that may have been fine for them for decades. This is a very significant lifestyle change, and it behooves us to understand as much as possible so we can help our loved ones make a smooth transition to new ways of eating and drinking. One specific area that deserves special attention is alcohol consumption. Excess alcohol consumption can be problematic at any age, but in seniors, who may be facing various health problems or chronic diseases, any problems are compounded. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) cautions that conditions including “diabetes, high blood pressure, congestive heart failure, liver problems, and memory problems” can all be made worse by alcohol. In addition, many seniors take more medications than they may have when they were younger, and these may interact problematically with alcohol. Besides for these factors, the water content of our bodies decreases as we age. This means that there is less water in the body to dilute any alcohol consumed, so its effects are more strongly felt. All of these considerations mean practically that, even if someone’s drinking habits have not changed, and even if they had been accustomed to drink only a small amount, this will become far more problematic as we age. As our loved ones age, this is just one of the many issues that we must keep in mind, and Senior Options is always there to help.

Be sure that the only bottles that are kept in the house are bottles of water.

For further questions regarding alcohol and the aging process, call us today!