The elderly alcoholic: some current dimensions.
Elderly alcoholics represent an increasing number of older Americans caught in the trappings of epidemiologic and treatment problems. This paper reviews some current dimensions along both problems in light of the unresolved statistics of addiction. Reductions in the federal budget and public services lend contrast to the proportion of cases associated with socioeconomic distress, and mental illness. In the second part on treatment considerations, advances in behavioral pharmacology and behavioral psychotherapy are briefly discussed. The holistic models of behavioral medicine and field-integrative therapy are indicated as possible directives for a multicausal assessment and community intervention.
D000368:Aged; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D001521:Behavior Therapy; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D011203:Poverty; D011640:Public Policy; D012306:Risk; D014481:United States