If your parents or neighbors were ill or needed help, you'd do everything you could to help, wouldn't you?

But when that same older person shows signs of having a problem with alcohol or prescription drugs, it's hard for most people to know what to do or say.

Yet, alcoholism and the misuse of prescription drugs are becoming a life-threatening epidemic in older people. It is estimated that 70% of all hospitalized older persons and up to 50% of nursing home residents have alcohol-related problems. Among older people there is reason for concern about mixing alcohol and drugs. Of people over 65, 83% take some prescription. Over half of all prescriptions for older persons have some sedative. Combining prescriptions with alcohol can be deadly at any age, and especially so among the older age groups.

Yet the symptoms may be difficult to recognize. For example, shaky hands and forgetfulness could be normal symptoms of aging -- or a sign of alcohol or prescription abuse.