Loneliness in the elderly is a global problem, affecting almost 57% of elderly people. Here we dissect this phenomenon and how to address it.
With all these data, it is clear that society will have to face new challenges in the coming decades, as the elderly have special needs compared to the general adult population. The biggest cause of death in the geriatric sector is noncommunicable diseases (heart disease, stroke, pneumonia, musculoskeletal disorders, etc.) and the health system must adapt and prioritize research on these fronts.
Taking into account the importance of the psycho-social in health, let’s see how loneliness affects the elderly and what can be done to avoid it.
- We recommend you read: “Cognitive training in the elderly: its 5 benefits”
Loneliness in the elderly: a neglected health problem
Beyond physical well-being, it is also essential to preserve the development of the elderly in the emotional field tag. The classic idea of an elderly person alone and unattended must be combated in all cases, since it is not “normal” to end a life journey alone regardless of individual means and qualities.
The third age corresponds to the final stage of life, that stage in which the person looks back, remembers his failures and achievements, ends his working life and can enjoy the remaining decades of existence without notorious obligations (provided that health he allows it). From a physiological point of view, reaching this stage is a result of cellular and tissue stress accumulated over time, since no matter how healthy you are, it is still impossible to avoid metabolic damage and telomere shortening in each of our cells.
Interestingly, we know when old age ends (with death), but the moment of establishment varies in each case, because we all age at different rates. Therefore, a person can be categorized within this age group at 60 or 80 years, depending on their previous cognitive development, congenital conditions, neurodegenerative diseases (Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s, for example) and many other things.
On the other hand, it is necessary to emphasize thatloneliness refers to the set of emotions that lead to the feeling of “feeling alone”, regardless of the number and permanence of social interactions that take place. Social isolation does refer to the lack of contact between people, but loneliness can be established even if a person is surrounded by people constantly. In other words, the mere fact of being accompanied does not inhibit the feeling of loneliness.
The effects of loneliness on the elderly
With all these ideas in mind, we presentsome data that reflect the reality of social dynamics in the elderly. Among them, we highlight the following:
- According to epidemiological studies, more than 1/3 of the aging population feels lonely. In addition, 5% claim to have these feelings at all times in their lives.
- Other analyzes estimate that 17% to 57% of the adult population lives alone, but the risk is dramatically amplified when suffering from health problems, such as heart disease, depression or neurodegenerative diseases.
- According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), isolation increases the risk of premature death, as surprising as it may seem.
- Patients with heart problems increase the risk of death by 4 if they live alone.
As in other age groups, loneliness is associated with higher rates of chronic anxiety, depression, and suicide tag. Beyond emotional frames, the immune system and other key parts of the body are suppressed in times of chronic stress, so it is also to be expected that loneliness will be physically noticeable. Interestingly, isolation has been associated with a 50% increased chance of developing dementia in the long term.
In addition, it should be noted that depression is considered an almost inevitable disease in the elderly, but nothing is further from the truth. The fact that 14% of the geriatric population is depressed does not respond to normal behavioral patterns, but to a systematic neglect of people who no longer work, since they have ceased to be “useful” for society. Suffering the loss of a loved one is common and necessary, but staying depressed and dying about it is not.
Loneliness in the elderly is worse in excluded groups
As indicated by the CDC, trans elderly people, anywhere on the LGTBQ+ spectrum, and migrants are much more at risk of suffering from extreme lonelinessand even domestic violence from a caregiver or from the environment. There is not enough research that has consistently analyzed this bias, but the evidence suggests that it is necessary to emphasize the care of social groups that are already excluded, regardless of age.
How to avoid loneliness in old age?
According to the National Institute of Statistics (INE), almost 5 million elderly people live alone in Spain . There are programs promoted by the governments of the different regions whose purpose is to reverse this situation, but many times, the bulk of the responsibility falls on the environment of the elderly.
The first step to avoid the systematic loneliness and isolation of the elderly is, without a doubt, to help the awareness platforms against loneliness in the elderly. It is necessary to stop normalizing depression, anxiety and even suicidal ideas in the aging population, since the fact of losing many loved ones (simply by statistics) does not have to justify a constant desire to disappear. As blunt as it sounds, it must be made clear that being older is not synonymous with being sad.
NGOs such as Adopt a Grandfather have created entire platforms to connect the youth population with the elderlytag. In this specific case, partners can video call people who live alone, carry out activities with them, go out to dinner in groups and even hold joint classes, which promote the integration of the elderly in the virtual world, among many other things.
These initiatives aim to make the elderly feel accompanied, but beyond this, the vital thing is that a young figure act as a bridge between the world of the elderly person and the current one. Most people at this stage of their life have excellent cognitive abilities, so they are very good candidates for learning how to use modern technologies.
Beyond this, it is always a good idea to encourage elderly people to do daily physical exercise, sign up for free courses to learn new things or take joint trips, also in charge of special organizations. In short, staying active is vital to avoiding loneliness in old age.
Are you looking for psychological support services for the elderly?
As we have seen, old age does not have to be associated with negative feelingssuch as depression, loneliness and anxiety. The fact that we “normalize” these pathological traits in the elderly population does not mean that it should be left alone, since everyone has the right to well-being and care from conception to death.
Beyond non-profit organizations and government initiatives, it is also necessary to advocate, once again, the individual responsibility of each one of us as inhabitants. Calling an elderly relative once a week is not enough: it is necessary to carry out activities together and allow people to perform a minimum on a social level.
If you are looking for professional psychological support for families or elderly people, I encourage you to contact me tag. I am a psychologist specializing in the cognitive-behavioral model and I offer my services both in person (in Madrid) and online.
To the classic question “what do you do?” I always answer “basically I am a psychologist”. In fact, my academic training has revolved around the psychology of development, education and community, a field of study influenced my volunteer activities, as well as my first work experiences in personal services.