Saratoga Survey: Seniors & Alcohol

By Dave Lucas

Saratoga Springs, NY – The term "alcohol abuse" may conjure thoughts of drunk drivers, immature teens or derelicts. Capital District Bureau Chief Dave Lucas reports that there is another segment of society where alcohol abuse is on the rise - and a researcher's attempt at analyzing that behavior.

The Baby Boomers have become Senior Citizens - the generation that rocked and revolutionized the 1960s and 70s - then settled down in the 80s and 90s are now into THEIR sixties and early seventies - experiencing the change of going from a working life into retirement. Perhaps no coincidence, alcohol abuse is on the rise among their ranks.

Crystal Dea Moore is an associate professor and the program director of the social work program at Skidmore College. Moore traveled to Sweden over the summer, where she consulted with researchers who have been looking at quality of life indicators as they relate to alcohol consumption among older adults. Moore's interest led her to create a questionnaire she recently mailed to 1000 Saratoga Springs residents 65 and over. Moore hopes that the results of her study will spark discussion and raise awareness about social issues that impact seniors' quality of life. Researchers say the number of adults over 50 with substance abuse problems will double from 2.5 million in 1999 to 5 million by 2020.

Crystal Dea Moore plans to take her survey results to Sweden in the spring where she'll conduct a comparative analysis with studies done there. She's also looking to engage in face-to-face interviews with some of her local survey respondents.