The study of older adults is relatively new for the social sciences. There is a growing awareness of the alcohol-related problems in this population. Between 2 and 10 percent of older social drinkers present severe alcohol-related problems of different kinds. Three terms describe the major consequences of "too much" alcohol: intoxication, alcohol-related disease, and dependency. The biological aging process includes many changes that can influence a person's responses to alcohol. For example, tolerance and nutrition are affected. Social relations affecting alcohol consumption may also change with the aging process. Social settings can alter the pattern of alcohol intake. Three groups of older problem drinkers are distinguished as early onset, late onset, and intermittant. Alcohol treatment is at least as effective for older individuals as it is for any other cohort. Elderly persons may require the full range of services needed by other alcoholics: detoxification facilities; residential and outpatient care; alcohol education; and individual and group therapies. The older problem drinker in treatment may be more likely than younger drinkers to complete a course of therapy. (Author)