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'Silver sozzlers' spend their pensions on binge drinking
Sophie Goodchild05.03.09
New figures today reveal the scale of alcohol abuse among middle class over-65s in London.
Hospitals are admitting more than 100 retired patients a day for alcohol abuse.
Serious drink-addiction has nearly doubled among the over-65 age group. Former company directors living in affluent areas of London are among those ending up in A & E or on surgical wards for drink-related problems.
A total of 36,805 pensioners a year - "silver sozzlers"- are hospitalised for drink-related health problems. This compares with 20,735 in 2002. Experts predict the figures for liver disease and alcohol poisoning will continue to rise unless addiction treatment is made more available on the NHS.
They also say drinking at home is one reason why binge drinking has soared among the elderly.
The figures will increase pressure on ministers to take action against the drinks industry which has been blamed for encouraging binge drinking with cut-price promotions and incentives.
Anti-addiction charities and medical experts called on the Government to follow Scotland and bring in a minimum price for drink. It is the first country in Europe to fix alcohol prices.
The Liberal Democrats, who uncovered the figures, said the dangers of excessive drinking among retired people was a hidden problem and solutions needed to be properly targeted.
Lib-Dem MP Tom Brake said: 'While newspaper headlines have focused on binge-drinking teenagers, the number of elderly people being hospitalised due to alcohol has been soaring unnoticed.
"These figures are deeply worrying and ministers must take action to tackle this new and disturbing trend. The Government has massively under-funded alcohol treatment services, while this problem has been allowed to escalate."
The Royal College of Physicians, which is calling for higher taxes on alcohol, said drinking at home was partly to blame. RCP president Professor Ian Gilmore told the Standard: 'These figures underline that the UK's worrying relationship with alcohol is not just about teenage binge drinking.
"The biggest increase in drinking is at home, fuelled by massive supermarket discounting. The over-65s, particularly vulnerable to illness, are clearly part of this rising tide of health harm."
Kensington and Chelsea, Richmond and Kingston are among those boroughs with ageing alcoholics.
More than 2,000 over-65s a year in these areas alone need hospital treatment for drink-related health problems.
Reader views (17)
No pubs to go in
No Community
Driven to staying home alone
Afraid of street crime
Unable to afford to buy a social life
Desperate to feel like you belong to a society that is disenfranchising them
Unwanted for work
No family
Nothing to look forward to
Driven to drink, the only release available to those that have help shape the last century
Only other choice is early death !
I hope that you that have created this state of affairs are truly ashamed of your creation
- June, London, England
Does everybody know that the government collects more tax on cigarettes and alcohol than the cost of keeping a few sozzled pensioners and a few nicotine poisoned people in hospital.
- David Nigel Braham, Milan Italy
maybe if they were safe to walk the streets or sit in the parks they might not drink so much anyway cheers to them
- Phelps Robert, bussiere poitevine
You can't reasonably expect a person who's lived 65 years to do the remaining years sober. While the standard of living since 1944 has steadily increased, the quality of life continues to fall. Pondering this without the benefit of spirits is inhumane.
- Jim, New York, NY USA
Yet another example of this Government determined to take away every bit of enjoyment anybody can have, only death and taxes will remain!!!
- Matt Knight, Ware
My generation lived through the blitz, we were subjected to the horrors of micro-mini skirts, rainbow coloured tank tops, bellbottom hipsters, Arthur Scargill, backcomed beehives and enormous shoulder pads. After all that, and a lifetime of hard work, Gordon steals our pensions. Now the government wants to stop us gorging on chocolate and draining the odd few vodka bottles. For heavens sake, at least let us grow old disgracefully. We've earned it! (and to those moaning minnies who will write in complaining we are using up NHS resources THEY paid for - no we're not! We've paid National Insurance (remember that?) for 50 odd years.
- Maire, London
Who can blame them. You have to drown your sorrows with these thieves in government, making their life abject misery
- Dee Jay, Fleet UK
What do they have to watch on television, puerile drivel by the Government that believe that everyone is a 4'x2'.
- William, Haywards Heath UK
What do they have to watch on television, puerile drivel by the Government that believe that everyone is a 4'x2'.
- William, Haywards Heath UK
They should drink their wealth away before the Government squanders it on lost causes.
- Tom, Watford (UK)
Totally agree Bondy,I have campaigned for yrs for heroin to be prescribed to the over 65s,its sad thay have to turn to one of the worst and most damaging drugs called alcohol.
- Kev, London-UK
I think these silver haired people are being driven to drink. Just pick up any newspaper or listen to the news to prove it. The UK where they grew up and fought 2 world wars in living memory and were proud to say they were British. Alcohol should be on the NHS. 'Reality' is an illusion, caused by the insufficient intake of alcohol and to that end I lift my glass and say, if you have survived the last 60 years then do what you want and tell the Government where to go.
- Bondy, London
All we have left, no point in saving or passing it on to the workshy feckless youth.
The should be no VAT on drink for pensioners
- Glug Glug Gurgle, London, England
Here we go again!
More excuses by the govt. to interfere and tell you how to live your life. As well as another excuse to raise taxes
What about those of us who drink sensibly? Do we have to be punished too?
- Russell, London
Many elderly people would prefer to go to their local pub and have one or two drinks. The thing that stops them doing this are i) many landlords do not welcome small spenders, ii) the price of drinks, iii) many pubs are full of chavs and iv) many pubs are in areas that are virtually 'no go' a the weekends.
- Michael, London
Probably solace for all the years they've worked hard and the rubbish pension they ended up with (unless they are senior bankers or politicians).
- Sue, Orpington, Kent
Given how this government has destroyed their pensions, they need some solace.
- Keith Price, Luton, England
