Worrying trend of women drinkers

Nearly one in 10 of those starting treatment is now a woman aged 60 or more, which compares to six per cent five years ago.

In contrast, women beginning treatment for alcoholism between the ages of 18 and 29 went down – from 18 per cent five years ago to 14 per cent, according to latest figures from Public Health England, quoted by the Priory Group, best known for offering rehabilitation to troubled celebrities.

The figures show a similar trend among older men with eight per cent of those males entering treatment being over 60 compared to six per cent five years ago. The number of men aged between 18 and 29 entering treatment was 15 per cent last year from 19 per cent in 2008/09.

Some 835 people, men and women, died during treatment in 2013/14.

Priory consultant psychiatrist Dr Paul McLaren said: “A common pattern is for regular drinkers, who have had their consumption constrained by the structure of working, tipping into harmful drinking in retirement.

“Many of the women I see are retired professionals who never had issues with alcohol in the past.

“Then there is home delivery. I have seen many examples of alcohol being delivered to older people who are too damaged or impaired by it to go out and buy it themselves. So they don’t even have to leave home to buy alcohol – supermarket delivery services will bring it straight to their door. Retirement, bereavement and loneliness can increase a person’s drive for alcohol.”