Spokane, Olympia, Bremerton, and Seattle all ranked among the top 30 U.S. cities for alcohol-induced death rates among adults age 65 or older.
Alcohol-related deaths among adults 65+ are disproportionately concentrated across the West, according to data compiled by an Ohio-based dependency treatment center.
The study concludes that alcohol misuse in older adults may be more hidden than previously thought and may be mistaken for grief, chronic illness, medication complications, isolation, or “normal aging.”
Is It A Big City Problem?
Washington’s largest city, Seattle, recorded 949 alcohol-induced deaths in adults 65 or older over a five-year span. That was the highest total in the state and ranked Seattle at the #30 highest rate in the nation, higher than Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Chicago…