Your Choices, Your Chances – Balancing alcohol and substance use with fall risk
Your Choices, Your Chances – Balancing alcohol and substance use with fall risk
By Marguerite Oberle Thomas, RN., BScN. and Waterloo Wellington Older Adult Strategy (WWOAS)
Many seniors enjoy a glass of wine with their dinner or perhaps a little something at happy hour. Some seniors may use cannabis to keep their pain under better control. Alcohol and substances are often present at pleasant social settings and mature people want to do what they want to do.
Part of good decision-making includes having the information to ensure the best possible outcomes. So, what are the facts around seniors related to substance and alcohol use?
As we grow older, our bodies are less able to counteract the effects of alcohol and other substances. Our metabolism slows down, and it takes our body longer to process these substances. Slower metabolism results in prolonged effects on the central nervous system. With physiological aging, the proportion of water in your body reduces, resulting in making the effects of alcohol and other substances more potent.
Alcohol and other substances can impair your balance and motor control, increasing your risk of a trip or stumble that could lead to injury. And, as we age, falling can have a greater impact on our body due to factors such as decreased muscle strength, flexibility, balance, and mobility.
November 2023 marks the ninth annual promotion of Fall Prevention Month. Each year, all members of the community are encouraged to learn more and do more to prevent falls and fall-related injuries.
How many of us are aware that falls and alcohol or substance use can be related? Alcohol and substance use among seniors puts additional stress on vulnerable body systems and reduces a person’s ability to deal with the consequences of the aging process. It is important to also be aware of how medications can interact with substances, and to consider when and how much to consume together. This includes not only seniors struggling with higher alcohol and substance use, but also those seniors simply enjoying a social glass of wine or the occasional edible (cannabis) for dessert.
Can seniors enjoy a mimosa at Sunday brunch? All alcohol and substance use consumption needs to be part of the many pieces in life’s big picture puzzle. The most recent guidelines tell us that no alcohol is the best choice for zero risk. Check out more resources, assess your risks, make choices, and enjoy life lived your way.
Marguerite Oberle Thomas, RN., BScN., is the Consultant Liaison for the Fall Prevention Community of Practice, which is sponsored by the Ontario Ministry of Health and the national injury prevention charity, Parachute. Additional articles can be found at https://www.fallpreventionmonth.ca
Waterloo Wellington Older Adult Strategy (WWOAS), Older Adults Substance Use Working Group with members from clinical and community organizations, as well as lived experience, supporting older adults with substance use challenges in the Waterloo Wellington region. Contact Christine Platt, Geriatric Systems Implementation Facilitator for the WWOAS at cplatt@cmhaww.ca with questions.
Members: Anna Cullar, Anthony Duguid, Barbara Gray, Dawne Stevenson, Christine Platt, Fiona Apperson, Gina Brohman, Helen Edwards, Jane McKinnon, Julia Hall, Julie Kerkhof, Megan Daly, Wendy Bieman. Special credit to Susie Gregg, O.T. (Reg. ON), Geriatric Resource Consultant for Primary Care for her fall prevention insights.
Additional resources:
For everyone: www.cmhaww.ca
For seniors: https://www.parachute.ca
For healthcare providers: https://www.fallsloop.com
References:
1. Parachute. The Cost of Injury in Canada. Toronto (ON): Parachute; 2021. Available from: https://parachute.ca/en/professional-resource/cost-of-injury-in-canada/.
2. Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC). Surveillance Report on Falls Among Older Adults in Canada. Ottawa (ON); 2022. Available from https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/healthy-living/surveillance-report-falls-older-adults-canada.html
3. Statistics Canada. Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS): Combined data, 2017 and 2018. Ottawa (ON): Statistics Canada; 2019 Available from: https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/191022/dq191022d-eng.htm.
4. Public Health Agency of Canada. Seniors' Falls in Canada: Second Report. Ottawa (ON); 2014. Available at: www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/health-promotion/aging-seniors/publications/publicationsgeneral-
public/seniors-falls-canada-second-report.html.5. Improving Quality of Life: Substance Use and Aging (Report), Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction, 2018. Available from https://www.ccsa.ca/improving-quality-life-substance-use-and-aging-report.
5. Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction: ttps://www.ccsa.ca/sites/default/files/2023-05/Canadas-Guidance-on-Alcohol-and-Health-poster-2023-en.pdf
6. Goldberg EM, Babu KM, Merchant RC. Alcohol-Related Falls Are Increasing in Older Emergency Department Patients: A Call to Action. Ann Emerg Med. 2023 Aug 11:S0196-0644(23)00583-8. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annemergmed.2023.07.011.