Are Older Adults at Increased Risk for Gambling-Related Problems?
Most older adults are able to gamble without experiencing problems. However, some do develop problems as a result of gambling. Although most national estimates of prevalence rates suggest lower levels of disordered gambling among the elderly, many regional studies have found high prevalence rates for older adults. For instance, one study found that 9.7% of their senior center sample reported disordered gambling. These studies suggest that older adults are not immune to gambling-related problems and may even be more vulnerable due to a number of factors. Researchers have found that disordered gambling among adults in the general population has been associated with high blood pressure, stomach and intestinal problems, and cardiovascular problems. Because older adults are already at increased risk for experiencing health-related problems, additional stressors associated with problematic gambling may serve to exacerbate their health problems. Older adults are also more likely to have fixed
