Among the elderly there are three forms of alcoholism: Chronic Alcohol Abusers are people who start drinking very heavy in their early twenties or thirties. As a result of their drinking they may survive to reach middle age while having ongoing medical, social and emotional problems.
Late-Onset Drinkers are people who was not heavy drinkers while they were younger or may not have done any drinking at all. They begin to drink later in their years of life as a result of a great loss or change.
Intermittent Drinkers are people who have been drinking back and forth for many years with no type of major problem. When faced with a problem they revert back to alcohol to try to cover up any problem they may have, but have the potential to progress rapidly into dependency.
Tags: abusers, alcohol, Chronic, dependency, drinking, Elderly, emotional, intermittent, late, medical, onset, problem, problems