Loneliness is an uncomfortable and undesirable situation that is a particular problem for seniors.
Not only is loneliness undesirable, but it can also contribute to significant health problems.
Why Seniors are Particularly Vulnerable
Loneliness can be a problem at any age. It is something that many people struggle with and we often don’t form all the meaningful connections that we hope to. Even so, loneliness in seniors is a particularly important topic, as seniors are more vulnerable than most.
One reason is retirement. Our jobs often provide a consistent source of social contact and many of us make friends over time through our work. This is true even for people who don’t particularly like their jobs or who struggle with their workmates.
Retirement can often make life seem more empty all of a sudden. There are fewer places to find those same connections. You’re certainly not going to find many people that you see as often as you would see a workmate.
Disability, illness, and mobility challenges are all problems as well. These areas can make it more difficult for seniors to get out and interact with each other. People often lose friends over time too. This can be partly because of a lack of contact and partly because some of those friends die.
The end result is that seniors lose friends while having a harder time interacting with people and developing new friendships.
The Implications of Loneliness
Loneliness isn’t just an uncomfortable state. It also has many health implications.
- Perceived social isolation has been linked to decreased cognitive performance, along with faster cognitive decline.
- Loneliness has been linked to increased depressive symptoms.
- Lonely people may engage in more risky behaviors, such as being less active, smoking and having a poor diet. The reverse is also true, good social connections can promote healthy lifestyles.
- Socially isolated people can experience higher rates of death, disease and infection.
Finding Solutions
Thankfully, loneliness can be resolved. There are various approaches to consider, including shifts in expectations and ways to improve social contact.
You can see the main techniques in the infographic below. The next post on this site will take a deeper look at solutions and how to take advantage of them.
Leave a Reply