'Baby Boomers' and Alcohol

I heard the radio programme, and there were many aspects of it that echoed my own family experience.

Older people with serious drink problems may not present the same community problems as younger ones, but they are a big problem, nonetheless, to their families. The last 20-30 years of my father's life were dominated by his alcoholism. He wasn't violent or publicly anti-social but he was the most dreadful bore, to the extent that we (by then, adult) children and our partners used to avoid sitting next to him at family meals. In the last 15 years or so, alcohol-related physical and mental health problems made him very difficult indeed. Many trips to hospital because he had fallen over, drunk, were just part of it.

I think the definition of a drink problem for an older person might include answering 'yes' to 'does your family tell you that you are drinking too much?' and 'do you become defensive about your drinking?'.

What exactly is the definition of 'baby boomers'?

If Bill means baby boomers aged 65+ then that is a very narrow margin as it would be people aged 65-69.

I thought baby boomers are people born in the years 1946 to 1960ish

Apparently Joan Bakewell classes herself as a 'baby boomer' - who's she trying to kid?
Quote from her article linked below:

Almost three in ten baby boomers have no private or occupational pension. I am one of them.

www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/property/11817290/Joan-Bakewell-Why-its-not-so-great-being-a-baby-boomer.html

I'm not a baby boomer and I'm 12 years younger than Joan Bakewell.

Cheers

sorry elena I didn't mean to be flip, I hadn't read your post before I posted.

RQ

We certainly don't drink as much as younger people whom we know.

Well, in my house it's a little bit like Ab Fab. My grown up DD is teetotal and can't stand the smell of alcohol, let alone even the idea of tasting it. Whereas I'm partial to a glass or two of wine some evenings, and the odd G&T or sparkling wine if it's a special occasion, although all in moderation I hasten to add. (I think Edina and Patsy got plastered on Bollie, but my budget doesn't run to that - even "in moderation".)

In the 1960s and 70s, our crowd never tried weed or LSD. Alcohol and tobacco were the most common drugs of choice. Now aged in their 60s and 70s, some of we Baby Boomers are paying the price. I have peers who stopped smoking long ago, or who have died from the effects. I also have friends who have cut down on their alcohol consumption drastically - or even cut it out completely. One friend used to consume two bottles of wine a night but has taken to alcohol-free lager now. - She said she could no longer stand the hangovers. (I'm not surprised!)

My mother used to make elderberry wine, which was so strong you could only drink a little and from tiny glasses. We had brandy in the cupboard for emergencies, but it had been there for years and I can't remember it ever being opened. Apart from that, I grew up in a sober household. Maybe we're going to back to that way of life. After all, there are already more coffee shops than pubs in the high street these days.

elena not easy to see a parent damaging their relationship with their children or to watch their life go downhill.

As my mother was Canadian I've decided to follow their guidelines of 'safe' drinking, so I don't need to feel guilty about my of an evening!! Thanks * daffydil* for the reminder re John Mortimer - I've quoted that before.

No worries, rose quartz!

Alea, yes, it's the destruction of relationships that's hard. My dad had several grandchildren and they all remember him as an embarrassing drunk they could not have a conversation with and who caused their grandmother great distress. He was great with them when they were younger but as time went on the bad memories were the stronger ones. I begged him on one occasion to get his act together, for the sake of the littler ones where there was still a chance. He wept. And did zero to change his behaviour, just tried more desperately to lie about it. He would have had tremendous support from his family if he had decided to tackle it seriously.

The thing about older people and drink is that it needs less alcohol to create the negative effects. You can't judge a problem on the volume of alcohol drunk.

I think a little bit of alcohol enhances life! I don't want to be negative about those of you here who enjoy it!

I am guilty of drinking too much. I started drinking at 13 years old in the 70's being rebellious and it was mostly cider out late at night. I was no angel. I am not yet 65 and have had wine most evenings since I was in my 20's only cutting it out when I was pregnant 3 times.
It has cost me my figure as I am fatter than I should be, my teeth and my reputation. It has been my psychological crutch for what could be considered two unhappy marriages. If I had my time again I would have ditched the men and stopped the wine but alas, it has been my solace.
I have cut down nowadays but retain the reputation of being a "wino" which is annoying to say the least. Once given a badge of that sort it is hard to break. I would rather be an elegant sipper than my binge drinking party girl alter ego. So I decided to only drink quality wines in moderation as I have been lucky enough to avoid all the other dangerous health issues. I have been a naughty girl.
Nowadays you will find me drinking R Whites (remember the advert) with lemon and ice and talking to myself in my head (muttering really) while husband ignores me as he is obsessed with his smartphone or watching rubbish on the telly.

Brave post nomadnana good luck - it's never too late.

I don't drink alcohol and haven't for about 30yrs since I realised my first husband was drinking way too much . We divorced and he carried on drinking

grannyisland, I've just googled the Canadian safe drinking guidelines and they're even lower than in this country! Women are only allowed 10 teeny (1.5 ml) glasses of wine a week...

Sorry I was Logged out before I finished typing.
He carried on till his 60s causing our 3 children years of angst before dying of alcohol poisoning at 64.
All things in moderation is the key and if you can stick to that then a drink now and then is fine.

Thank you Alea. It is not easy to be honest but I have to be a realist. I have grandchildren to consider now and would rather be sober (mostly) than to leave the planet too soon because of the temptation of too many glasses of wine.
I have witnessed people close to my family dying too soon from alcohol and smoking , preventable deaths. The thing is when someone dies, as my Mother did, through something preventable then loved ones are in part quite angry at them for ignoring all the warning signs. I intend to be a Great Grandmother who is going to be a treasure, with a gleaming set of plastic teeth for my sins. I had a 3 year plan , 2 years ago to shift a bit of weight and sort my life out before I hit 60..only one year left..YIKES!

I think we probably all have different ideas about how much is too much. I love a good red wine with my dinner, but don't allow myself more than one bottle a week (I'm 66). Is this moderate drinking? My parents, who had a glass of sherry at Christmas, would certainly think this is a lot!

I enjoy a drink-usually wine these days. I don't drink as much as I did when I was younger. I don't drink every day usually a couple of times a week. I am aiming to be like my Nanna who in her latter years carried a small bottle of brandy in her handbag which she always said was for "mediceenal purposes" (her pronunciation). She took a swig when something upset her. She lived to be 90 and was happy and fit till the end.

I think in the 'media' the term Baby Boomer covers anyone who is in receipt of the state pension! It covers a multitude of possibilities....
I used to be able to drink copious amounts of alcohol and swear my children were weaned on gin. I shudder at the amount I was able to put away; hollow legs don't come into it . Now, I occasionally enjoy a glass or two of wine, champagne, Prosecco or the delicious gin, but a pain at the back of my head always warns me when I have had enough.
I do however worry about the drinking habits of the younger members of my family - the 30 somethings - and am on a crusade to get them to reduce their intake. No much luck so far.

Babyboomer, it depends how many units your bottle of red contains!

I don't like strong wine and tend to go for anything pink or white under 10% alcohol (around 7 units) but most wines are between 11% and 15% which could up your consumption to around 11 units a bottle.

I am not sure any of us really know how to measure a unit these days. I think 125ml of wine is a unit but no one ever serves such a small glass these days. I just know that if I have had a glass of wine I should definitely not drive, whatever the law says!

Does it matter? Not sure, I suppose if you are not affecting anyone else why should it? Does it cause anything which is going to require the NHS to spend a lot of money?

In our house we have a lot of alcohol, in the dresser and in a cupboard plus in the utility room there is a lot of wine. However, it is only once or twice a week we have a drink but we just like to be able to offer people a selection.

I have never had a hangover because I would fall asleep if I drank too much. On holiday last year I did feel very peculiar one night, think it was because of the generous measures, and didn't like it so it won't happen again.

I rarely drink alcohol, although there's a number of bottles of wine and spirits in the house.
I doubt if I drink the equivalent of a bottle a year.
I used to drink in moderation but seeing what an abusive ex BIL did to himself and his family put me off it big time.
Quite happy not drinking

At about 6 pm every day i sit down with my book and a large glass of white wine and ....relax. I look forward to that winding down and is even better on a warm evening sitting in the garden. Does the rest of Europe have the same miserable rules on how much it is appropriate to drink? I wouldn't condone drinking to become inebriated of course but surely life is much more than rules, regulations, best practice, policies, recommendations etc. After all a woman should eat nomore than 2000 calories a day and i notice a lot of ladies exceeding that. Perhaps the health experts should start printing that information on menu's, food packaging, restaurant advertisments and convey through the news the dangers of exceeding this amount.

Will we be a happier nation sticking to our alcohol and food recommendations? I have yet to meet an Italian, Spaniard or Frenchman who worries about alocolhol units.

Just remeber WInston Churchill enjoyed wine with breakfast.

Ana the article I read said two drinks a day. Oh well, I'll just stick with John Mortimer and palliser65!

Just checked and Wiki says a baby boomer is someone born between 1946 and 1964.

Just as I thought.

So I'm not one and neither is Joan Bakewell!