Question
Thank you very much for your question. I wonder how old your grandfather is. Certainly he seems to have a settled round of activities, which give him a good social life which maintains his connections with his Spanish way of life and he is I am sure following patterns which have been followed by generations of old men before him. He is very likely drinking more than medically advised, however his body has probably adjusted to it and it would be inadvisable to stop drinking suddenly at any point. Before he would think about changing his behaviour, he would need to notice that there were some negative effects and you have not mentioned any. If he would allow it, it might be good to have a medical check up, perhaps a liver function test, but as always you have to have a persons permission for him to go and do this. Just let him know that heavier drinking could affect his health and he should at least see a doctor if he feels unwell at all, especially coughing up blood or bleeding from the stool. Some people may disagree with me, but I believe that people change when they are ready and your grandfather is enjoying his old age in the way he wants to and he may die a year or two earlier because of it, but I doubt whether he will change now. Thank you for introducing him to me in this way. Best wishes to you both.
About the Expert
Jill Edwards
MSc
Bristol, United Kingdom
Specialties
Anger Management, Anxiety or Fears, Spirituality, Compulsive Disorders, Trauma and PTSD, Life Coaching, Addiction or Substance Abuse, OCD, Mood Disorders, Personality Disorders, Domestic Abuse or Domestic Violence, Chronic Pain or Illness, ADHD, Impulse Control Disorders, Elderly Persons Disorders, Women, Loss or Grief, Eating Disorders, Depression, Finding Your Purpose in Life
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