Loneliness and Social Isolation Among Seniors
From Forbes Magazine:
Loneliness and social isolation are not merely a source of sadness for many older adults. Studies have shown that isolation increases the risk of mental and physical illnesses. In fact, the health risks of prolonged isolation are equivalent to smoking 15 cigarettes a day.
From AARP:
Researchers estimate that 14 percent of older adults enrolled in original Medicare — or 4 million people — have meager social networks. The federal health care program spends an average of $1,608 more a year for each older person who has limited social connections than for those who are more socially active, the study found. That translates into an estimated $6.7 billion in added Medicare spending each year.
Nearly 90 percent of seniors want to stay in their own homes as they age, often referred to as “aging in place.”
Even if they begin to need day-to-day assistance or ongoing health care during retirement, 82 percent would prefer to stay in their homes.
From AgeInPlace.com:
Avoiding social isolation should be at the top of everyone’s list of “important things to consider” when planning ahead to age in place. A good plan, creativity and a willingness to seek out opportunities will help ensure good mental health and a social connection for seniors who are aging in place.
By the Numbers
Loneliness in adults 62+
Never 52%
Occasionally 29%
Frequently 19%
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17% of American adults 65+ are socially isolated
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Loneliness increases the risk of death by 26%
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6 million adults 65+ have a disability that prevents them from leaving home
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51% of people 75+ live alone
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By 2060, Americans ages 65+ are projected to more than double from 46 million to over 98 million
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The percent of people 65+ is predicted to rise to nearly to 24% from 15%
BEYOND THE PANDEMIC
Until recently DaysAtDunrovin focused primarily on people who are homebound due to age or disability. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has opened D@D's eyes to the impact loneliness has on all segments of the population worldwide. This in turn has opened D@D's creative energy to identifying ways to adapt D@D to help people of all ages find meaningful and enriching friendships online.
While the pandemic has driven everyone online in search of social engagement, current forms of social media only exacerbate loneliness by prompting social comparisons. The time is now for a new genre of online social engagement to emerge.
Loneliness Cuts Across Generations and the World
From Psychology Today:
The January 2019 edition of the MdLinz, a news service for physicians, reported that loneliness is America's newest epidemic that affects up to 47% of people over 18, which is double the number from a few decades before.
From The Guardian:
While researchers have long acknowledged the role of modernity in the loneliness epidemic, they now understand the loneliness is actually a product of modern ways of living and thinking. Single family households, less face-to-face interaction, and an addition to social media that invites social comparisons and leads to the "fear of missing out" have become the norms in many modern societies. Mental health experts link loneliness to mental disorders, depression, anxiety, and suicide.
From Harvard Magazine:
While the COVID-19 pandemic has greatly increased awareness of loneliness and brought it into the public conversation, little is known about the potential for profound long-term social consequences. In a recent article in The Lancet Psychiatry, several professors argued that "a major adverse consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic is likely to be increased social isolation and loneliness."
Loneliness begets loneliness. Feelings of loneliness created by the social distancing required during the pandemic are likely to persist post pandemic.
By the Numbers
Among 20,000 US residents aged 18+ surveyed in 2018:
40% report feeling alone
47% sometimes feel left out
27% feel misunderstood
43% lack meaningful social relationships
43% feel isolated
Generation Z (those born after 1995) were found to be the loneliest generation.
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The British Royal College of General Practitioners estimate that Britons feeling lonely are 50% more likely to die prematurely that people with a good social network, making loneliness as big a mortality risk as diabetes.