Panorama,--"Old , Drunk And Disorderly."

[Captain Kong]

Hi ,
last nights Panorama Programme on BBCI TV was about people now retired and drinking too much. Titled "Old Drunk and Disorderly"
My son Richard, the Consultant Hepatologist at the Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth, was intervied by Joan Bakewell.
Just thought you may be interested in the subject.
This is the link.......
BBC News - Joan Bakewell: 'Am I drinking too much in old age?'
IPLAYER....Joan Bakewell presents Panorama: Old, Drunk and Disorderly?
BBC One, Monday, 10 September at 19:30 BST
Then available in the UK on the BBC iPlayer

Cheers
Brian.

[Red Lead Ted]

To get to retirement age these day,s is an achievement in its self, Why would anyone want to deprive someone who has worked a lifetime paid taxes and national insurance all there life a few drinks at the end of the day makes me absolutely Bewildered. My old uncle Bill veteran of Merchant Russian Convoy,s would have a large scotch every night of his life and sometimes 2 or 3. He lived to the ripe old age of 93yrs. He never took a tablet in his life. And was along with most of the elderly in this country never a burden on the National Health Service I believe it done him more good than harm and he certainly earned it Regards Terry.

[Captain Kong]

Hi Ted,
Richard likes a drink himself, but he does have a responsibilty to people who do abuse it to the extent that they really do damage themselves. Hampshire has the worst record in the country for alcohol abuse.
He does not deprive any people of having the enjoyment of a few bevies whether they pay taxes or not, Just good advice,
A few months ago he had to tell the parents of two 16 year old girls that they were going to die in the next few months because there was too much internal damage to several organs and it was impossible to give them a Liver transplant.
The girls had been drinking a bottle of Vodka a day before going to town to have more. It has killed them.
A friend of mine has had a Liver transplant because of his drinking, He is alive BUT there are a lot of problems with his health and he will never be able to enjoy a pint again.
Look a Georgy Best, he had a liver transplant because of his abuse of his drinking and abused it again and died. A Liver wasted.
If you didnt see the Programme last night you can get it on IPlayer, on that Link.
I think if your Uncle Bill had more than a bottle of scotch every day it would not have done him much good. A couple or three tots would not do him any harm.
It is all things in moderation, not the Binge Drinking that goes on these days.
He says if you have more than a few bevvies then have a couple of days off to let the Liver recover.
I enjoy a few tots of whiskey but I dont get Plissed on it anymore. then I have a rest for a day or two.
Cheers
Brian.

[Louis the Amigo]

Hi Shipmates Hi Captain Kong, I know a lot of old ship mates and some ex dockers, that label would fit. but found out years ago at sea, you allways stop when you had enough and remain a gentleman, Nothing worse than someone my age trying to behave like a teenager again.But with the government trying to bring in min price on alcohol, there will not be any pubs or clubs open to get drunk ? and the state pension wont cover the cost of a few drinks.

[Red Lead Ted]

If young people are going to abuse any substance whether it be alcohol or drugs they wont reach retirement age. I don't think it needs to be any government warning to make that point. What i am saying is with the retirement age at 68yrs at the moment if you work and get through life at that age. It add,s up that you have done something right in your life. George Best was only 59yrs old when he died of drinking related problems, But he was given a second chance, 16yr old,s drinking a bottle of vodka a day wont live that long it does not take a nanny state to make that clear to them its modern day life which they are well aware of. But to put out a Panorama on over 65yr old,s getting into trouble with booze sorry m8 the jury is out on that one. They are enjoying there retirement just as you are with there few drinks { LET THEM EAT CAKE } Regards Terry.

[John Pruden]

go to any public park and you will find young kids either drunk or smashed of their heads on some sort of pharmaceuticals some as young as 12 years old WHAT ARE THE PARENTS DOING if you have a child that comes in off their face shouldn't you ask them something??????jp

[Captain Kong]

Hi Terry,
you sound as though that it is me who is trying to stop pensioners from drinking, our kid is not doing that, only sensible drinking. and after all it is he who has the job of trying to save their lives when the Liver packs in.
I am a 77 year old pensioner and have drank more than my share of plonk in my days,
But there were some pensioners on that programme who really were dependent on alcohol. A bottle a day.plus.
What saved a lot of Seafarers was we drank heavily in port then sailed again and had a break while at sea then the Liver did have a chance to recuperate. Then we started again in the next port, sometimes days and sometimes weeks later. The Liver is the only organ that can regenerate itself, but as in all things there is a limit at the end of the day.
If we drank at the rate we did every day of our lives when in port we would not have survived too long.
After a good session on the Penfolds, four shillings a bottle in Melbourne in 1955, I had the DTs and the Rats. But at sea my Liver had a break and recuperated. A lot of ships were dry ships so we couldnt save our ale.
There is nothing wrong with having a good splurge but have a couple of days off inbetween. to help your Liver.
Some people are on it all day and every day and the poor old Liver cannot recover, that is when the problems start.
That is the message he was trying to get across.
Cheers
Brian.

[Red Lead Ted]

I have worn the tea shirt just like every other seaman on this site i understand as most of us on this site do when enough is enough, But what i don't agree with is a nanny state people who become dependent on alcohol in there late 60s are either lonely or have other health issues Government should look at the reasons behind what there masking with the booze. Its either the old saying {No Fool Like An Old Fool } Or other issue,s in there life that need looking at you know yourself m8 you reach the age of 65 in this country and you become a forgotten race and certainly don't get the help of the N.H.S. You deserve. Its usually a church or charity that people will seek and receive the help and support they yearn. I have had out of body experiences with the booze when i was at sea i dont mind admitting it but as you rightly say sooner or later either the penny drops or you do. No Doctor on this earth has to explain that to any of us. Icould have thought of an hour,s prime time T.V. That could have been used to better peoples lives than that episode of Panorama. Regards Terry.

[Captain Kong]

Hi Terry , the point of the programme , it was only on for 30 minutes, was to help certain people who have become Dependent on alcohol, that is a big difference than ordinary drinking.
It showed an old lady .......quote............. from Joan Bakewell.
.
.The loss of friends, personal bereavement, sudden redundancy or retirement, loneliness and isolation can all feel like good reasons to reach for the bottle. I met several such people and heard their stories.

There is 73-year-old Barbara Smith who told me how the death of her husband played a big part in causing her drinking to spiral out of control.

Her drinking reached as much as a bottle of wine every day - around four times the government's recommended limit.

And Barbara, who is now getting support to help her cut down her drinking, is not alone. Experts advise that people refrain from drinking on at least two days a week, yet more over-65s are drinking six or seven days a week than any other age group. ...................Unquote.
.
That is all I was saying, If you are dependent on the grog then have a couple of days off to let your body recuperate and then you would not be alcohol dependent. or Alcoholic. My neice is in rehab at this very moment, costing over £3,000 a session. It is also her third time. So it really is a problem for some people, and a very expensive one.

The programm is trying to help people who need help. They were not saying all pensioners are plonkies.
Cheers
Brian

[Red Lead Ted]

I live in a hot spot for booze and people who are dependent on it if i am totally honest with you i couldn't name you on one hand the pensioners i know who are dependent on alcohol. I know many who enjoy a drink and i suspect rather than it becoming a growing problem in this country as Louis rightly say,s not affordable in many cases. It was more of a shot across the bow. I have both been in the premier division of, Alcoholic,s F.C. and on the sub,s bench a few times. These day,s i wouldn't make the reserves. Every alcoholic has a sad tale for turning to the bottle i could recite many of my own, But at the end of the day its a cop out on there part. You can try and re,educate people until you are blue in the face , Or attend there funeral ?. It all comes down to the person themselves if they want to get help the first thing is to admit there is a problem to themselves. Second its all down to the choices we all make in life. Including ageing alcoholic,s Regards Brian i am not having a pop at you i just don't think you can put a T.V. Camera in a room full of a 100 pensioners and label more than at most 5% problem drinker,s. p.s If you can find a gathering of 100 pensioner,s in a club that often? Regards Terry.