The following sections of this BookRags Literature Study Guide is offprint from Gale's For Students Series: Presenting Analysis, Context, and Criticism on Commonly Studied Works: Introduction, Author Biography, Plot Summary, Characters, Themes, Style, Historical Context, Critical Overview, Criticism and Critical Essays, Media Adaptations, Topics for Further Study, Compare & Contrast, What Do I Read Next?, For Further Study, and Sources.
(c)1998-2002; (c)2002 by Gale. Gale is an imprint of The Gale Group, Inc., a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Gale and Design and Thomson Learning are trademarks used herein under license.
The following sections, if they exist, are offprint from Beacham's Encyclopedia of Popular Fiction: "Social Concerns", "Thematic Overview", "Techniques", "Literary Precedents", "Key Questions", "Related Titles", "Adaptations", "Related Web Sites". (c)1994-2005, by Walton Beacham.
The following sections, if they exist, are offprint from Beacham's Guide to Literature for Young Adults: "About the Author", "Overview", "Setting", "Literary Qualities", "Social Sensitivity", "Topics for Discussion", "Ideas for Reports and Papers". (c)1994-2005, by Walton Beacham.
All other sections in this Literature Study Guide are owned and copyrighted by BookRags, Inc.
Elderly people are the fastest-growing segment of the world population, and they consume about 25 percent of all the medicines prescribed. Because aging causes changes in various systems of the body, the ability to handle medication is different in the elderly than in the young. Alcohol abuse among older people can lead to falls, fractures, and other medical complications. The addition of medications (prescription and over-the-counter) to alcohol drinking can lead to disastrous complications and even premature death. However, recent research has suggested that drinking low to moderate amounts of alcohol (one to two standard-sized drinks per day) may help protect against the development of heart disease and stroke. Because the elderly are more susceptible to side effects from all types of substances (prescription and otherwise), the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholismï¾€ has advised people over 65 to limit themselves to a single drink each day. At any rate, even this amount of alcohol should be approved by the individual's physician, to make sure that the combination of alcohol and medical conditions or medications is safe.
%See Organizations of Interest at the back of Volume 2 for address, telephone, and URL.