If Senior Life's a Gamble, Help is in the Cards Dr. David J. Demko, Editor-in-Chief News Flash. The state of Florida tempts its residences with gambling casinos, race track betting, and state-sponored lotto games ... then claims surprise when 650,000 Florida senior citizens admit to having a gambling problem. Tax dollars support gambling, then tax dollars advocate the dangers of gambling, then tax dollars support problem gamblers. Your tax dollars at work. Makes you wonder, "Why is Florida gambling with the welfare of Floridians?" Read on. Maybe you can figure it out. It gives me a mental hernia. For many seniors, gambling is an escape from boredom brought about by an increase of unstructured time after retirement or following the death of a spouse or other loved one. For many, their social network may not be large enough to draw the necessary support. Many elders turn to gambling as a means of trying to deal with the loss, the grief and the too much time on their hands. Compulsive gambling is disorder in which a person has an uncontrollable urge to gamble. This results in excessive gambling, the outcome of which is the loss of time and money. The gambling reaches the point where it disrupts and destroys the gambler's personal life. This problem gets progressively worse as it leads to intensification of the gambling behavior. Florida has a larger proportion of residents over the age of 50 and a higher percentage of persons who are widowed, in comparison to other states. According to the Florida Council on Compulsive Gambling (FCCG) statewide gambling a growing percentage of Florida's older adults are developing serious gambling problems. And they are doing so at a time in their lives when recouping financial losses can be very difficult, if not impossible. To increase awareness about gambling among elders, the FCCG has developed a brochure, "Gambling Away Your Retirement: Older Adults and Gambling". The agency has produced two videos: "Seniors and Gambling," featuring problem gamblers sharing their stories. The other, "The Road Back" views a longtime married couple where the husband's onset of gambling upon retirement has had long-term effects on the relationship and family. Both videos also reveal the positive impacts of recovery among seniors. Older Adult Warning Signs of Compulsive Gambling An individual diagnosed as a pathological gambler meets five or more of the following 10 signs. In prevalence studies, individuals with three or four of the following criteria are considered "problem" gamblers and those with one or two are classified as "at-risk." Preoccupation with gambling. Gambling to calm nerves, forget worries or reduce depression. Needing to gamble larger and larger amounts of money to experience the thrill. Mood swings based upon winnings and losses. Withdrawal anxiety experienced after gambling excursions. Secrecy, avoidance or lying when questioned about gambling habits. Using retirement funds or cashing in an insurance policy to fund gambling. Missing possessions or assets, including pawning or sale of personal items. Sudden need for money or loans. Depression or self-destructive thoughts. If you answer "yes" to five or more of these warning signs, then the "odds" are 2-1 you're at-risk to compulsive gambling. Is it a good idea to go on-line and check out the support you need at: www.gamblinghelp.org You bet it is.