Chilly I thought the same thing.
He is 80, perhaps the note Barb suggested would be a good idea, who knows.
I will say that it is NEVER to late!!!! I was 52 when I finally got sober, I know folks that have gotten sober older then me.
We had an elderly gentlemen who started showing up at meetings, his son brought him in a wheel chair for many months, we never saw him walk and he rarely talked, he sat quietly and listened. He kept looking better and better as the months went by.
Well they were passing out chips at this one meeting and when they said 6 months............. the gentleman forced himself up out of that wheel chair and with 2 canes worked his way up front, he then asked if he could also have his 24 hour chip and months 1-5 as well!! He turned to us all, smiled a smile I have never seen on a mans face before and he simply thanked us all! There was not a dry eye in the room. He passed several months later................ sober!!!!