We live at a time when we can instantly communicate with distant friends and family members using a few mouse clicks or taps on a touchscreen. Despite advances in communications technology and the increasing connectedness it brings, research indicates that, as a society, we are lonelier than we have ever been.
A 2020 report published by Cigna shows that more than half (61 percent) of U.S. adults report feeling alone sometimes or always. This number paints an exceptionally bleak picture since it is based on data collected in mid-2019-before the COVID-19 pandemic and widespread public health measures that resulted in extraordinary levels of social isolation. Although, people from all walks of life can feel isolated and alone, perhaps no other age group feels the keen sting of loneliness more than the elderly.
Understanding Loneliness in Seniors
Aging brings many changes that can contribute to a more solitary life. One of the biggest issues for seniors is that their social circles begin to shrink as the years go by. On one hand, retiring grants older adults more free time for hobbies and relaxation, but it also puts an end to meaningful interactions with colleagues on a regular basis. Additionally, friends, significant others and family members may move away or pass away.
Carol Bradley Bursack, caregiving expert and author of Minding Our Elders: Caregivers Share Their Personal Stories, saw firsthand how deeply her grandparents and parents grieved these personal losses.
“I had to wonder how much fun it is to be the last one standing,” she recalls. “My mom, who once loved getting Christmas cards, found that the number of cards she received dwindled each year, and the ones she did get often contained sad news of death or disease.”
Even those who still live close by may be difficult to meet with in person due to changes in mobility. This is especially true once a senior stops driving for safety reasons.
