ELDERS LURED TO CASINOS
ELDERS LURED TO CASINOS EELDlders lured to casinos

 

Associated Press Date: Wednesday, May 17, 2000

WEST DES MOINES (AP) - Elder Iowans with disposable income and time on their hands are increasingly seeking solace in Iowa's casinos, but some of them instead find a reason for despair.

Charlie Nelson, 63, a Drake University history professor for 30 years, took early retirement in 1994 because of heart disease. He had lost his father, felt bad about retiring early and regretted decisions he had made early in life."I found relief in the dreamlike world of the slot-machine player," he said. "As I put the tokens in for hours after hours, I found myself in an alteredmood. It's as if a switch were turned inside my head." The slot machines installed at Prairie Meadows Racetrack and Casino in 1995 aided in his financial and emotional collapse, he said.

Gwen Stubbs, 61, said she began playing the slots at Prairie Meadows after her husband had died and a friend was murdered. Her mother was in a nursing home, and she was lonely.  She played only the nickel machines, but sometimes played 24 hours straight. Both Stubbs and Nelson hit the jackpot once. She won almost $23,000 while he won $5,000. The win gave them an emotional high and encouraged their gambling. But like other gamblers, they also lost. 

It wasn't until the point of despair - what Nelson calls "near death" that they sought help. The pair talked about their compulsive gambling on Monday at the 21st Annual Governor's Conference on Aging. Compulsive gambling affects all age groups but can be especially devastating for older Iowans because of their inability to regenerate income, said Harlan Vogel, who treats problem gamble Pu Ұ;Ep V Ru ؋Ur N Qu 4pP2?Ep V Ruj ؋Ur N QuH 4P2YE@ P Ju 3fE)E@ P Ju fEE3҈UUEU EMЉE}Ћ  uȋ CEċ + M3EE X] =}z3beĉEEjuRPb؉]URWV' t EEbeĉEE@p UB\N}Ћuȋ]uuSuWV: U E3Et"MԋERPjh8TQU uuRu˄EЍU;DE t v PQ EЋUEЃ MhBQ7 EEE@ PtQP Ju ؋UB H Iu f3e}؋u܋]Md ]Ëe}ЋE U M_]uwUЋEBu+YuucUE@ PtMP Ju ؋UB H I~8u fe}؋u܋]Md ]Åu ǀEp V Rui ؋Ur N QuG 4pP2 kE؋EEM̍URPQS E*E t v PQl EЋUEЃ -#uǀEp V Ruu؋Ur N QuS4pP2e]Md ]ÐUjhNhTdPd%hbe}؉u܉]]K A Pu]EԋK Q-A PuҰ;Ep V Ruf؋Ur N QuD4pP2Ep V Ru؋Ur N Qu4P2E@ P Ju3fE)E@ P JufEE3҈UUEU EMЉE}Ћ  uȋ CEċ + M3EE X] =}z3hbeĉEEjuRPb؉]URWV t EE%beĉEE@ UB\N}Ћuȋ]uuSuWVU E3Et"MԋERPjh8TQU uuRu~EЍU;DE t v PQVEЋUEЃ MhBQ EEE@ PtQP Jud؋UB H Iu3f3e}؋u܋]Md ]Ëe}ЋE U M_]uwUЋEBuYuu OE@ PtMP Ju؋UB H I~8uofe}؋u܋]Md ]Åu7ǀEp V Ru؋Ur N Qu4pP2貥kE؋EEM̍URPQShE*E t v PQEЋUEЃ -#uCǀEp V Ru؋Ur N Qu4pP2辤e]Md ]ÐUjh؝NhTdPd%h5be}؉u܉]]K A Puk]EԋK Q-A Pu>Ұ;Ep V Ru ؋Ur N Qu4pP2苣Ep V Ru؋Ur N Qu4P2襥E@ P Ju`3fE)E@ P Ju4fEE3҈UUEU EMЉE}Ћ  uȋ CEċ + M3EE X] =}z3beĉEEjuRPCb؉]URWVs t EEbeĉEE@ UB\N}Ћuȋ]uuSuWVU E3Et"MԋERPjh8TQ`U uRuvx EЍU;DE t v PQEЋUEЃ MhBQ EEE@ PtQP Ju ؋UB H Iuf3e}؋u܋]Md ]Ëe}ЋE U M_]uwUЋEBuzYuuHE@ PtMP JuE؋UB H I~8ufe}؋u܋]Md ]ÅuǀEp V Ru؋Ur N Qu4pP2[kE؋EEM̍URPQSE-E t v PQEЋUEЃ 0&uǀEp V Ru؋Ur N Qu4pP2ge]Md ]UjhNhTdPd%hbe}؉u܉]]K A Pu]EԋK Q-A PuҰ;Ep V Ru؋Ur N Qu4pP25Ep V Ru`؋Ur N Qu>4P2OE@ P Ju 3fE)E@ P JufEE3҈UUEU EMЉE}Ћ  uȋ CEċ + M3EE X] =}z3beĉEEjuRPb؉]URWV t EEubeĉEE@ UB\N}Ћuȋ]uuSuWV0U EE3Et"MԋERPjh8TQU uuRu0rEЍU;DE t v PQEЋUEЃ MhBQ" EEE@ PtQP Ju؋UB H Iuxf3e}؋u܋]Md ]Ëe}ЋE U M_]uwUЋEBuYuuNBE@ PtMP Ju؋UB H I~8ufe}؋u܋]Md ]Åu|ǀEp V RuT؋Ur N Qu24pP2kE؋EEM̍URPQSEE t v PQWEЋUEЃ -#u~ǀEp V RuV؋Ur N Qu44pP2e]Md ]UjhNhTdPd%hqbe}؉u܉]]nK A Pu]EԋK Q-A PuzҰ;Ep V RuH؋Ur N Qu&4pP2ǖEp V Ru؋Ur N Qu4P2E@ P Ju3fE)E@ P JupfEE3҈UUEU EMЉE}Ћ  uȋ CEċ + M3EE X]