Fact Sheets no. As many as 3 million people 60 and over have a problem with alcohol. Widowers over 75 have the highest rate of alcoholism in the country. In 1991, an estimated 70 percent of hospital admissions of older people were for alcohol-related problems.
Physicians miss a diagnosis of alcoholism in the elderly up to one-third of the time.
Alcohol-related problems put more older Americans in the hospital than heart attacks. A Hidden and Neglected Problem Alcohol abuse among older adults is a more serious problem than many people realize. Alcohol abuse in later life often is hidden and, consequently, overlooked. For example, many older adults drink in the privacy of their homes and are less likely to be disruptive in public or arrested for driving while intoxicated. Further, even when family, friends and professionals recognize an alcohol problem exists, they are reluctant to confront an older person.