Alcohol, ageing and A ustralia

In 2013, Australians aged 70 years and older were more likely to drink alcohol on a daily basis than any other age group, and 6% of those aged 40–60 years were drinking five or more standard drinks per day on most if not every day of the week. Data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare also indicates that over the five years to 2012–2013 there was an ageing cohort of people in alcohol and other drug treatment. Although the numbers of Australians aged 60 and older entering treatment is small, figures for people aged 60 years and older more than doubled from 882 in 2003–2004 to 1873 in 2012–2013, with alcohol as the principal drug of concern in 82% of treatment episodes