OREGON – A report shows that several Oregon cities have some of the highest alcohol-induced death rates in the nation for people 65 and older.
The Woodlands Grove Recovery Campus study ranks Roseburg, Eugene, and Medford among the top five nationally. Other cities in Oregon, such as Salem, Bend, and Portland, also appear in the top 15. Roseburg, ranked second, has an alcohol-induced death rate of 342.9 out of 100,000 residents aged 65 and older. Medford, ranked fifth, has a rate of 248.7. The report is based on data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Census Bureau.
While the rise of alcohol-induced deaths for those 65 and older has risen steadily since 2000, CDC data shows a noticeable increase around the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“During things of this nature, like COVID, it set us back a little bit. People found comfort in isolation because they had to…. We will find something, we will develop something, that gives us comfort and control. Whether it’s isolation, drinking, drugs, what have you,” said Doug Gould, Executive Director of ROC Recovery Center in Medford.
According to Gould, alcohol use among older residents of Oregon is a multi-layered issue. Aside from loneliness, those aged 65 and older are more likely to experience grief due to the loss of loved ones. They also may experience a sense of aimlessness after retirement. “So, you put those three contributing factors together, and that’s a big shock to the system. We have been designed for connection, and when you lose that connection, you’re gonna find that connection in something else,” said Gould…