Mohammed T. Abou-Saleh

604 PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE OF GERIATRIC PSYCHIATRYperhaps of less harmful alcohol use, can be creatively formulatedand instituted more effectively and efficiently.CONCLUSIONIn summary, alcohol abuse in the elderly is a significant problemthat needs to be addressed aggressively. Recognition anddiagnosis of alcohol abuse may be more difficult in the elderly.The biological and psychosocial losses and decline that are oftenused to identify alcoholism in younger people can occur in manyelderly who do not abuse alcohol. The clinical presentation of anelderly alcoholic is often with a medical condition that may bemasked by other medical diagnoses. For these reasons, theclinician must be especially alert to the possible presence ofalcohol abuse in this age group. 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