My Grandpa just got prescribed beer!!!!!!!!!!!

eschatz · Feb 28, 2009

My grandpa is 93 in a nursing home. My dad goes to visit him the other day and the doctor is there checking up on my grandpa. The doctor says that he's not eating enough at the nursing home and he's loosing too much weight. My dad jokes that he has no problem keeping on weight because of his homebrew. The doctor thinks about it and asks if grandpa would have beer every night with dinner when he was at home. Of course! So then she writes him a prescription for 10 oz of the beer of his choice with every dinner!!!!!! :ban:

Now I'm off to starve myself. Gotta get that prescription! :mug:

Sir Humpsalot · Feb 28, 2009

That's one cool doc!

Sure, we all know that beer was once considered "liquid bread". We know of its many benefits for people and how it has helped shape society.

But it's become so uncommon for doctors to prescribe anything that doesn't fatten the pharmacies' wallets. I'm actually quite shocked that a doctor would encourage someone to drink beer. And yet... it's a really common sense solution.

homebrewer_99 · Feb 28, 2009

Doctors used to prescribe beer to everyone who stayed in hospitals for the same reason.

This was true even for children in England.

I have no idea when this practice stopped but you can bet there was a bible thumping biddie in there somewhere...

eschatz · Feb 28, 2009

Sign up here and I'll see if I can get us all prescriptions!!!!!!!!

Revvy · Feb 28, 2009

So who's gonna get the other 2 ounces in the bottle??? Or are you dropping of gramps his very own keg of IPA???

Dr_Deathweed · Feb 28, 2009

If I remember correctly, it used to be common practice here in the US to let the patients in TB sanatoriums have all the beer they wanted to try and keep weight on them. I think the practice kind of took a nose dive when we became the fattest country on the planet...

Sir Humpsalot · Feb 28, 2009

I think it has more to do with all those non-alcoholic vitamin-enriched, drinks that can be prescribed instead of beer. Drinking those is much better for a patient... assuming they're willing to stomach them.

Personally, if I ever reach that age, I'm gonna insist the doctor prescribe me beer instead. Hey, while he's at it... maybe be could prescribe me sex for cardio-vascular exercise... :ban:

ChshreCat · Feb 28, 2009

I just need to find a doctor that'll prescribe strippers and I'd be set.

eschatz · Feb 28, 2009

Revvy said:
So who's gonna get the other 2 ounces in the bottle??? Or are you dropping of gramps his very own keg of IPA???

He spent WWII in England and loved the beer. He's always up for an IPA!

Bluelinebrewer · Mar 1, 2009

My wife's an RN at a hospital and it's funny because we were just talking about this the other day. She says that she has had patients who were prescribed 1 beer at night, and another patient who was prescribed some sort of mixed drink (whiskey or something). Although it's not often, it has happened. Granted, it's the "old school" doctors that we have around here prescribing it, not the newer generation of docs.

ChshreCat · Mar 1, 2009

Hmmm... if my doctor prescribes it... I wonder if I can get Group Health to pay for my beer.

On the other hand, they always want you to get the "generic equivalent". I can imagine what kind of beer I'd be drinking if it were up to them.

FireBrewer · Mar 1, 2009

ChshreCat said:
Hmmm... if my doctor prescribes it... I wonder if I can get Group Health to pay for my beer.

Or get them to pay for homebrewing equipment?

I want a doctor like that when I'm in my twilight years. My goal is to teach my boys how to homebrew so when I'm old I won't have to.

david_42 · Mar 1, 2009

A former GF's grandfather drank two pints every night on his doctor's advice. Keep his weight up, his kidneys flushed out and helped him sleep.

On the other hand, they always want you to get the "generic equivalent". I can imagine what kind of beer I'd be drinking if it were up to them.

Be very afraid.

-Dan- · Mar 3, 2009

There is a German saying that "7 beers are also a schnitzel" ... go figure!

McKBrew · Mar 3, 2009

I personally think anyone who has lived to an advanced age like 93 should be able to have all the fricken beer he wants. When my great grandmother was in her early 90's she like to have ice cream, like only a quarter cup. Some family members were going on about how it wasn't healthy for her. She lived to be in her mid 90's, I'm willing to bet she must have been doing something right. Some elderly people go through a lot of pain and misery when they get up there, so I feel it is almost an obligation to make their time enjoyable and relaxing, and if it takes a beer, ice cream or whatever else to do it, then let em' have it.

Melana · Mar 3, 2009

McKBrew said:
I personally think anyone who has lived to an advanced age like 93 should be able to have all the fricken beer he wants. When my great grandmother was in her early 90's she like to have ice cream, like only a quarter cup. Some family members were going on about how it wasn't healthy for her. She lived to be in her mid 90's, I'm willing to bet she must have been doing something right. Some elderly people go through a lot of pain and misery when they get up there, so I feel it is almost an obligation to make their time enjoyable and relaxing, and if it takes a beer, ice cream or whatever else to do it, then let em' have it.

Amen to this! If you live to 93 you have earned your right to eat/drink wahtever you wish!

BierMuncher · Mar 3, 2009

I say you brew him a nice ESB. Get those IBU's up and get him the antioxidant benefits of hops. Nothing goes with hospital grub like a cellar temp english ale. Plus the lower carbonation will be better for his stomach.

farmbrewernw · Mar 3, 2009

That is good to hear, I hate when doctors want to deprive elderly people of things they enjoy, the doctors wanted my grandpa to stop smoking but he was 84 so we just kept telling him to do whatever he wanted to. Damn it, when I'm 93 I'll do whatever I bloody well please.

Turkeyfoot Jr. · Mar 3, 2009

I had an uncle who was told to quit drinking due to issues with his liver. Shortly thereafter he started developing kidney issues because he wasn't going to the bathroom enough. The doctor ended up telling him to go back to having 1-2 beers, and ONLY 1-2 beers, an evening. Liver was fine, kidney's got back to work and he ended up dying from heart related issues several years later. Just another reason to RDWHAHB!

My Grandpa just got prescribed beer!!!!!!!!!!!

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