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Gambling excites older adults, but may be addictive



Printer Friendly VersionPost a CommentTell a Friend about this Article11 June 2006
As reported by: KSHB
She swore she'd never play the slots. Eventually, she allowed herself to play, but only with quarters. Soon she was contemptuous of any machines that didn't let her bet up to $100.

Then one day, Maureen Holland walked out of a casino having lost more than she ever had before - $5,000.

"I looked in the mirror and felt like an old lady," the Smithfield, R.I., resident said.

Holland was in her 60s and, according to experts, serves as a modern example of how the elderly develop gambling problems. She had risen to the rank of colonel in the Army, but after she retired she wasn't sure what to do with her life.

"I really became depressed. I felt, 'Wow, I'm getting old.' I'm used to jumping out of choppers. It was a big void," Holland said. "One day, I put my money in a slot machine, and it was like an instant addiction. I won."

Dennis McNeilly, a psychiatry professor from the University of Nebraska Medical School, said people over 65 are "particularly vulnerable" to developing a gambling problem.

As they struggle with boredom and loss in their lives, he said, casinos lure them with cheap food, free oxygen-tank refills, flu shots, pharmacies, and convenient bus trips.

Holland, a 69-year-old part-time nurse, said she sought treatment and hasn't gambled in two years.

McNeilly said many older adults find themselves confronted with painful emotional issues. Work no longer defines their lives. Their health may be deteriorating. Many have lost loved ones and longtime friends.

While "most people navigate these changes well . . . problem gamblers may not," McNeilly said.

Gambling - including bingo, lotteries and slots - offers opportunities for socializing, entertainment and excitement. And casinos offer an environment that is attractive , along with ATMs and credit-card service that makes cash readily available.
Article By: KSHB

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