Alcohol abuse can devastate a family. If you know or have known someone that has struggled with alcohol abuse, then it’s likely that you’ve experienced the pain and heartache that surrounds this disease. It doesn’t just impact the person caught in a cycle of addiction, but everyone around them.
For many, alcoholism is something that has been a part of their life for years. It just kind of seems like something that’s always been around, in one form or another. But in some instances, senior citizens seem to suddenly start abusing alcohol with greater intensity or frequency than ever before. New research indicates that this can be a predictor of developing dementia.
A team from the Mount Sinai School of Medicine found that people who start abusing alcohol after age 40 might be doing so not because of alcoholism, but because of a secondary underlying issue. Researchers found that many people who fit this description were actually in the early stages of frontotemporal dementia.
The team published their findings at the beginning of April in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease.
It was already well established that those who abuse alcohol throughout their life tend to be at a higher risk of dementia as they age. But this was the first study that really pointed to the why of older adults beginning to abuse alcohol. Oftentimes, seniors that begin abusing alcohol tend to be misdiagnosed–which can be quite concerning because they receive inappropriate treatment. What they found was that later alcohol abuse tended to be a warning sign of developing cognitive issues.
Regardless of your loved one’s needs, finding the right care to help them thrive in whatever situation they might be in is important. Dementia certainly leads to a unique set of needs and circumstances, but it is not the only health issue that seniors might face as they age. Ultimately, whatever situation your loved one is up against, finding the right senior care to help them meet their goals is what is important.
This can feel overwhelming, especially as the senior care landscape continues to shift and adapt to the changes brought about by COVID and a heightened awareness of the difficulties that seniors face. But whatever you might be facing, please know that you don’t have to face it on your own. There are a lot of people and organizations out there that would be honored to help you carry some of this burden so that you don’t have to do it all on your own.
We’d love to help you get steered down the right path. One of our trained caregivers would be happy to speak with you during a free consultation session. All you need to do is let us know you’re interested. Give us a call or send an email today. From here, we can go over your needs and goals and help you take control of your loved one’s care. Finding the right senior care is never an easy process, but thanks to our years of experience, we can help to make it just a little bit easier. Don’t hesitate to reach out and get the ball rolling.
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