Do residents of the nation’s assisted living facilities have a drinking problem?

The nation’s assisted living nursing aides seem to think so, according to a new survey.

A University of Pittsburgh research team polled 832 assisted living nursing aides about their experiences with residents drinking. What they found:

• Nurse aides said a majority (69 percent) of assisted living residents drink alcohol.
• About 34 percent are thought to drink alcohol daily.
• Nearly one in five (19 percent) nurse aides believe alcohol consumption has influenced residents’ health and 28 percent are suspected to make poor choices for alcohol consumption.
“The findings present preliminary evidence that alcohol misuse and abuse may be a problem of importance in [assisted living facilities],” researchers concluded.
“Given the potential impact of this on the health, safety, and quality of life for elders, more attention should be focused on alcohol misuse and abuse by residents.”