The nurse's role in assessing alcohol use by older people

Nurses have the potential to carry out health promotion activity related to alcohol use in a range of settings where older people receive care. The majority of the literature on alcohol use in later life has focused on abuse, especially on the more common risk of drug-alcohol interactions. In order to work effectively with older people in health prevention and education, nurses need to be knowledgeable about older people's patterns of drinking, the effects of alcohol on medication and the current evidence on the harm and benefits of alcohol to health. In carrying out assessments, a skillful approach needs to be adopted in questioning older clients on what some might regard as a sensitive issue. Screening tools for the detection of alcohol abuse in the general adult population may not be valid for use with older clients. Tools specific to the detection of alcohol abuse by older people will be considered.