Loneliness and isolation are a serious public health problem that significantly affects the overall well-being of older adults and puts them at risk. Those who suffer from these feelings experience an unpleasant perception of lack of social support.
It is important to note that isolation is a measurable lack of social contacts. Whereas loneliness is a feeling of not having the desired quantity or quality of social relationships. In other words, being alone is directly associated with physical absence; feeling lonely, on the other hand, is a subjective perception that may be linked to such social isolation (Camargo-Rojas and Chavarro-Carvajal, 2020; Nagusi Intelligence Center, 2023).
Loneliness is estimated to be 30% prevalent in older adults. A recent report by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) finds that nearly one-quarter of older adults over the age of 65 are socially isolated.
This population is usually at a higher risk of loneliness and isolation because they face factors such as living alone, losing family or friends, suffering from chronic diseases or hearing impairment. As a consequence, feelings of sadness, fear and anxiety are generated, which in this age group can be considered a difficult condition to address (Camargo-Rojas and Chavarro-Carvajal, 2020).
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (2021), isolation increases a person's risk of dying prematurely and is associated with a nearly 50% increased risk of dementia. Also, poor social relationships were associated with a 29% increased risk of heart disease and a 32% increased risk of stroke. In addition, loneliness is associated with higher rates of depression, anxiety and suicide.
There are different ways of dealing with these conditions. However, our experience has shown us that the best way to cope with loneliness and isolation is under a proactive style, which groups together strategies by which people try to cope with such feelings by responding directly to them. For example: increasing physical activity, seeking greater social contact with others, or participating in projects that arouse interest.
At Verdeza we address loneliness and isolation by constantly socializing our residents through various artistic, educational, cultural and recreational activities that allow them to spend quality time together. In addition, we encourage continuous communication with their family members, so that they feel supported by the people they care about most.
References
Camargo-Rojas CM; Chavarro-Carvajal DA (2020). The feeling of loneliness in older people: knowledge and timely screening. Universitas Medica. 61 (2).
Center for Disease Control and Prevention (2021). Loneliness and social isolation linked to serious conditions. Retrieved from the following link.
Nagusi Intelligence Center (2023). How to combat unwanted loneliness in older people? Retrieved from the following link.
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (2020) Social isolation and loneliness in the elderly: Opportunities for the health care system . Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
