Pour grandma a pint and give Uncle Teddy his martini back! A new study says moderate drinking of alcohol over the age of 75 could help prevent the development of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

The Telegraph cites the scientists bearing the good (for those who like to imbibe, of course) news that a glass of wine or a pint a day is a health benefit for seniors. Those who toss a few back are 30% less likely to develop dementia and 40% less likely to suffer from Alzheimer’s disease than those who abstain, says the research.

The study, published in the journal Age and Aging, was conducted among over 3,200 Germans aged 75+ who had no preexisting dementia conditions. They were tracked over three years.

While there were no significant differences noted between types of booze, this doesn’t mean you should hitch up your grandpa into position for a keg stand or line up a row of shots for your elderly neighbor, however.

“People should be aware that we are talking about mild/moderate consumption of alcohol,” said Professor Siegfried Weyerer from the Central Institute of Mental Health in Mannheim, Germany. “There is no doubt that long-term alcohol abuse is detrimental to memory function and can cause neurodegenerative disease.”

Moderate drinking in old protects against dementia [Telegraph]

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