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C. E. C.

C. E. C. Cooperation with the Elder Community A Motivational Presentation for AA members, groups, and Districts in Area 05 Modified by 2009 by Ad Hoc CEC Committee, Area 05 from the original created in 2008. DISCLAIMER REGARDING CITED RESEARCH.

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C. E. C.

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  1. C. E. C. Cooperation with the Elder Community A Motivational Presentation for AA members, groups, and Districts in Area 05 Modified by 2009 by Ad Hoc CEC Committee, Area 05 from the original created in 2008

  2. DISCLAIMER REGARDING CITED RESEARCH • Statistical data cited within this presentation are offered only for deeper understanding of the medical, legal, and social aspects of alcoholism, and its scope and severity among older adults. • Alcoholics Anonymous does not conduct or participate in research, nor does it hold any opinion on research conducted by others. • The material contained within these publications is a public information tool which is neither endorsed nor approved by AA World Services, Inc.

  3. C.E.C. Alcoholics Anonymous COOPERATION WITH THE ELDER COMMUNITY

  4. Why! Why! Why! Is Alcoholics Anonymous Important To Senior Citizens?

  5. Senior Members in Alcoholics Anonymous Increased 21% from 2001 to 2007 Age of Members 2007 2004 2001 • Under 21 2.3% 1.5% 2.0% • Age 21 through 50 56.3% 59.1% 54.0% • Age 51 and Over 41.1% 39.4% 34.0% (Over 40% of AA members are over age 50 in 2007, up 21% since 2001) Alcoholics Anonymous Membership Surveys-2001,2004, 2007

  6. Senior Alcoholism Is Huge A HIDDEN EPIDEMIC

  7. Late Onset Alcoholism Causes Many Seniors Alcoholics To Be Invisible • One third of elderly persons with alcohol use disorders have late onset drinking when stressful events occur such as bereavement, chronic illness and retirement. • They often remain unidentified and have been called ‘the invisible alcoholics’. Per Area 17 Hawaii website, http://www.hawaiiaa.org/index.htm

  8. Sometimes Unrecognized AND Misdiagnosed • 400 primary care physicians were presented with the symptoms of early alcoholism in an elderly woman. • 78% made a diagnosis of depression. • Only four physicians (1%) considered the diagnosis of alcoholism. • National Center On Addiction and Substance Abuse, Columbia University, New York, NY

  9. Senior Alcohol Consumption Is Significant • 11 Million over 65(33%) • Moderate senior drinkers(one drink per day) 38% of men; 32% of women • Heavy senior drinkers (two or more drinks per day) 10% men; 2% women SAMHSA, 2000-2001

  10. Substance Abuse Treatment AdmissionsFor Seniors. It’s Alcohol, Alcohol, Alcohol • 58,000 treatment admissions age 55+. • This represents 3% of the 1.7 million substance abuse admissions. • 64% of age 55+ reported abuse of alcohol alone with “NO” secondary drug use compared to just 23% of those under 55. SAMHSA News July/Aug 2004

  11. Substance Abuse Treatment Admissions-Senior Alcohol Admissions Significant

  12. Why Should A. A. Support C.E.C. As A Separate Outreach to Seniors? • Alcoholics Anonymous reaches some seniors through current CPC, P.I., Remote, Special Needs, and Treatment Facilities committees. • But seniors are generally underserved by A.A. • Seniors usually not in jails or prisons. • Seniors usually not in treatment facilities. • Most seniors are ambulatory and not disable. • Most outreach focuses on younger population.

  13. Should AA Include Seniors As Special Needs? • The Aging Process Is Not a Special Need. It Is a Universal Phase of Life With Its Own Challenges and Rewards. • “ – we define AAs with special needs as persons who are blind or visually impaired, deaf or hard of hearing, chronically ill or homebound, and those who are developmentally disabled.” * * AA Guidelines: Serving alcoholics with special needs. MG-16.

  14. Some Special Challenges for Senior Sobriety • Loss of spouse • Deteriorating medical condition • Loss of career and family • Financial Difficulties • Reflections on death

  15. What is A.A. doing for the Older Alcoholic

  16. HISTORY: From The Beginning… • 1979 GSC approved pamphlet “Time To Start Living” for older alcoholics. • 1990 Beginning of grass roots movement. A.A. members, Area 49, Southeast New York (SENY) started “Sober over Sixty” meeting. • 1990-2000: A subdivision of “Sober Over Sixty” was established under the Special Needs Committee of Area 49. This group targeted assisted living and nursing homes. They also taped “oldtimers” for archives. • 1991 At the request of the GSB Chairperson, a Class “A” trustee and Area 49 completes report on “Project on The Aged. • 2000 A workshop entitled “Carrying The Message To The Older Alcoholic” was held at the 65th International Convention. • 2001 GSC approved pamphlet “A.A. For The Older Alcoholic: Never Too Late” to replace “Time To Start Living”. • 2001 A workshop entitled “Serenity not Senility” was held at the 40th Annual Hawaii Convention. • 2002 Box 4-5-9 publishes article “Honolulu A.A.s Help Older Alcoholics Say Aloha To Serenity”.

  17. HISTORY: Onward and Upward • 2005 At the 70th International Convention a workshop entitled “Carrying The Message to the Older Alcoholic” attend by 1300 people. • 2005 GSC prepares presentations for 2006 “Sober over Sixty” conference. • 2006 Box 4-5-9 included an article “Seniors In Sobriety Become a Focus”. • 2008 15 Senior groups listed at the General Service Office. (Arizona, California, Florida Hawaii, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio and Texas.) • 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008 & 2009 PRAASA Roundtables on “Cooperation With The Elderly Community”. • 2007 GSO assigns Valerie of the Special Needs desk the task of tracking the outreach to seniors and amassing documentation and experiences of Area CEC committees.. • 2008 GSO publishes “Collective Sharing-Cooperation With The Elderly Community Committees” • 2008 October Grapevine issue is titled “Sober Over Sixty.”

  18. HISTORY: C.E.C. Committee Startups • 2004 Area 17, Hawaii, first to have CEC standing committee. • 2005 Area 09, Mid Southern California approved CEC standing committee. • 2006 Area 03, Arizona approved ad-hoc C.E.C. committee. • 2007, Area 72, Western Washington established a full District CEC Committee. • 2007, District 03, Area 05, Southern California established ad hoc CEC committee. Standing Committee 2008 • 2008 Westside Combined Districts, Area 05, Southern California established ad hoc CEC Committee. Standing committee 2009. • 2008 Area 05, Southern California approved ad hoc CEC committee.

  19. History: Seniors in Sobriety Conferences • 2006 the First Annual “Seniors in Sobriety” Conference Kona, Hawaii with over 135 seniors • 2007 Second Annual SIS Conference was in May in Sedona, AZ with 155 in attendance • 2008 Third Annual conference on the Queen Mary, Long Beach, CA. • 2009 Fourth Annual conference , June 2,3,4 and 5th, Red Lion at the Quay, Vancouver, Washington www.2008sisconference.org • 2010 and 2011 International conferences--taking bids

  20. AREA 05 Senior Meetings Too • 2007 Marina Center, District 25, WCD, starts senior meeting after GSR attends PRAASA in Portland, Oregon • 2007 Pasadena, District 03, has senior meeting existing for the past 25 years. Meeting size varies over time but “oldtimers” say group has performed many special needs functions for non-ambulatory, disabled and homebound A.A.s. • 2008 District 03 identified five meetings where senior tend to congregate. Received permission from San Gabriel Central Office to designate these meetings as “SF” (Senior Friendly) in the San Gabriel Valley meeting directory once permission from the groups has been obtained.

  21. What does the Ad Hoc C.E.C. Committee of Area 05 Want From You in 2009? • Support to become a regular standing committee that focuses on reaching large pools of seniors. • A liaison from each Area 05 district to communicate with and participate in Area 05 C.E.C. committee meetings and activities. • Support in achieving 2009 limited goals of establishing an A.A. presence at all senior citizen centers in Area 05 which includes: • Distribution and maintenance of literature for the elderly. Literature envelope has contact information for “Bridging The Gap”. • Participation in senior Heath Fairs at the senior center. • Meeting senior center social workers to make them aware of A.A. as a resource when encountering seniors with drinking problems. • Monitoring newsletters published by most senior centers

  22. What Else Do We Want? • To cooperate with other Area 05 committees in developing presentation materials and approach strategies to professionals that serve the elderly. • You to make us aware of current twelve step work by Area 05 committees, Intergroups and H & I, so we can minimize overlap. There is an abundance of work to do, we just want to communicate and participate. • To encourage Area 05 districts to form CEC committees to achieve other goals as they see fit.

  23. Thank You C.E.C. Committee Members 2009 Chris S. Steve G. Carole P. Dru F. Chuck D. Jay D. Wayne S. Joan R. Jim W. Tim H. Eugene R, Richard C. Laura K. Joseph R. Diane B. Juanita M. Coleen A. Regis K. Kay P. Shami H. Area 05 website: www.aascaa.org Click Committees on the left. Then click CEC for details. Area 05 email contact: cec@aascaa.org

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