title: Drinking behavior among older adults at a continuing care retirement community: affective and motivational influences.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this pilot study was to describe patterns of alcohol consumption among continuing care retirement community(CCRC) residents and to explore the role of drinking motives and affective states on drinking context and consumption.
  
  
  METHODS
  We utilized a phone-based daily diary approach to survey older adults about their daily alcohol consumption, context of drinking (e.g. drinking alone), positive and negative affect, and their motives for drinking. Data were analyzed descriptively, and regression models were developed to examine associations between sociodemographic factors, affect, drinking context and motives, and alcohol consumption.
  
  
  RESULTS
  CCRC residents drank most frequently at home and were alone almost half of drinking days on average, although the context of drinking varied considerably by participant. Problem alcohol use was rare, but hazardous use due to specific comorbidities, symptoms and medications, and the amount of alcohol consumption was common. Respondents endorsed higher social motives for drinking and lower coping motives. Social motives were associated with decreased likelihood of drinking alone, but negative affect was associated with decreased likelihood of drinking outside one's home. Coping and social motives were associated with greater consumption, and higher positive affect was associated with lower consumption.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Among CCRC residents, alcohol use may be socially motivated rather than motivated by coping with negative affect. Future research should examine other motives for drinking in older adulthood. Evaluation of older adults living in CCRCs should include attention to health factors beyond problem use as other forms of hazardous use may be common in CCRCs.
authors.affiliation: a School of Social Work , University of Maryland , Baltimore , MD , USA.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sacco
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Burruss
authors.forename: Cristan A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Alexis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kuerbis
authors.forename: Donna
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Harrington
authors.forename: Alison A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Resnick
mesh_terms: D000339:Affect / Q000502:physiology; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006707:Homes for the Aged; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation / Q000502:physiology; D012179:Retirement
keywords: alcohol consumption; continuing care retirement community; drinking motives; negative affect; positive affect