Drinking behavior among older adults at a continuing care retirement community: affective and motivational influences

Abstract

Objectives 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. Method 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. Conclusion 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.

Understanding older adults' attitudes and beliefs about drinking: perspectives of residents in congregate living

“…In this sense, alcohol was more tonic than medicine. These findings are consistent with daily diary study findings in that individuals tended to drink a fairly regular amount from day to day (Sacco et al in press-b; Sacco et al in press-a).…”

“…It may be helpful for providers to recognise that older adults may see their use as a part of a routine daily life, and a behaviour that may protect their sense of identity and autonomy in old age. In our recent research (Sacco et al in press-b; Sacco et al in press-a), we found that older adults drank regularly in the absence of strong motives for drinking. In conclusion, these interviews suggest that a strong motive for older adult drinking is routine socialisation that provides a sense of continuity from earlier life stages into old age.…”

A Qualitative Study of Service Provision for Alcohol Related Health Issues in Mid to Later Life

“…Nevertheless considerable diversity was achieved in individual interviews with males well represented. Yet it appears that there is growing international recognition of the needs of older people in relation to alcohol consumption[ 56 ]. The most recent Alcohol Strategy for England[ 25 ] has requested a review of the current alcohol guidelines for adults including whether separate advice is desirable for older adults.…”

Your retirement and my health behavior: Evidence on retirement externalities from a fuzzy regression discontinuity design

“…As mentioned earlier in the paper, externalities of partner's retirement could exist due to exogenous/endogenous social effects. Alcohol use is likely to be socially motivated among other reasons (Sacco et al, 2014). Several studies that assess drinking problems in retirement communities find these to be largely due to social reasons where drinking becomes an important part of the leisure sub-culture.…”