A WEB chat service has been launched to allow people over 50 who are worried about their drinking to get support from professionals trained to help with alcohol problems.

The service is available on the Drink Wise, Age Well website. The organisation is a national lottery funded programme led by Addaction that helps people aged 50 plus to make healthier choices about alcohol as they age.

Drink Wise, Age Well operates in five “demonstration” areas across the UK as they strive to help reduce harmful drinking in an ageing population. But the addition of web chat means that older adults living anywhere in the UK can now get personal, online support at a time that suits them.

The web chat service operates Monday to Friday 10am to 4pm and 6pm to 9pm, and 11am to 4pm on Saturday and Sunday. You can make an appointment to engage in real time discussion with someone during these times by clicking on the ‘Book an appointment’ tab at https://drinkwiseagewell.org.uk/webchat/.

In the UK, higher risk drinking, above the Chief Medical Officer’s guidelines, is declining in every other age group except the over 50s. Drink Wise, Age Well is offering web chat to complement the face-to-face help and support they provide to older adults and their families in Glasgow, Sheffield, Devon, Cwm Taf University Health Board area and the Western Trust area in Northern Ireland.

Julie Breslin, Head of Drink Wise, Age Well, said, “As we age, life changes such as retirement, bereavement, or the children leaving home may leave some of us feeling more isolated and struggling to cope which can lead to increased alcohol use.

“Over the past three years we have supported more than 85,000 people face-to-face, but there is demand for what we do in other parts of the country and web chat is a brilliant way to deliver convenient, confidential advice.”