The Impact of Disordered Gambling Among Older Adults

Abstract

The current study is a secondary analysis that describes the mental, social, and economic health impacts of disordered gambling in older adults recovering from pathological gambling. The study sought to answer the following research questions: (a) What are the problem behaviors in the mental, social, and economic health dimensions?; and (b) What is the association between mental, social, and economic health impact dimensions and the South Oaks Gambling Screen score? The study population comprised a convenience sample of 40 older adults recovering from pathological gambling in the Midwestern United States. Participants were originally recruited from Gamblers Anonymous(®) meetings and gambling treatment centers. Significant findings for the current study population were: gambling causing depression, being fired from a job due to gambling, and still paying off gambling debt. Nurses should evaluate effects of disordered gambling, assess for disordered gambling, and include a financial assessment in routine care of this patient population.

Marital Status and Problem Gambling among Older Adults: An Examination of Social Context and Social Motivations

“…Many older adults are transitioning out of the labour force or retired and therefore have limited resources to recover from financial losses (Grant Stitt, Giacopassi, & Nicols, 2003; Ladd, Molina, Kerins, & Petry, 2003; McCready et al, 2005; Petry, 2002). Older adults also have more time for leisure activities such as gambling and are also more likely to experience feelings of uselessness, boredom, and income inadequacy, which may motivate them to gamble (Kerber, Adelman-Mullally, Kim, & Schafer Astroth, 2015; Kim & Moen, 2002; Loroz, 2004; McNeilly & Burke, 2000; Parekh & Morano, 2009; Wiebe, 2002).…”

The impact of casino proximity on northeast urban communities: a literature review

“…The increase in casinos across the country resulted in entertainment rivalry as casinos entertainment started to attract adults. Hence, gambling revenues especially casino-gambling revenues surpassed theme parks and movie theatres and moved casino gambling into the mainstream of American entertainment (Conway, 2015;Kerber et al, 2015;Martin et al, 2011;Stansbury et al, 2015;Thompson and McNeilly, 2016;Tse et al, 2012). Despite this growth, casino-gambling tax revenues are not the same across all states.…”

“…Overall, gambling-related problems that lead to problem gambling or gambling disorder are undisguised, undetected, and uncovered until the difficulties have exacerbated. Adult gamblers who face gambling-related problems suffer lack of detection, or, they conceal such problems due to embarrassment, shame, guilt, and lack knowledge of where to seek help (Baxter et al, 2016;Kerber et al, 2015;Martin et al, 2011, Stansbury et al, 2015. Gambling-related problems could also result in increased social services intervention, prevention, and treatment (Gattis and Cunningham-Williams, 2011;Stansbury et al, 2015;Walker and Sobel, 2016).…”

Determinants of Gambling Disorders in Elderly People—A Systematic Review

“…Family support, for example, is very important: a recent study showed that, among older gamblers, family support was essential in helping to implement control strategies for responsible gambling (40). To help identify GD in vulnerable older people, Kerber et al proposed the acronym “CASINO” to help everyone to remember the impact and factors linked to disordered gambling in older adults: Chronic health problems, Affective disorders, Serious risk of suicide, Incarceration, NO money, credit card debts, and financial problems (57). This acronym includes individual and social determinants.…”