Skip to main content

The Dangers of Senior Loneliness: A Serious Problem

Senior Loneliness
Lonely Senior Thinking

In this new era of technology, with just a few clicks of text, you can stay connected with individuals from all over the world. But, even with the latest advancements in technology, there are many seniors today who live in isolation and deal with loneliness.

Surprisingly, loneliness not only affects someone mentally but also adversely affects the physical health of an individual. As friends, family members or caregivers, it is essential to be aware of the effects that loneliness can have on a senior’s mental and physical health.

How Lonely Are Seniors Today?


There has been ample research done on the topic of loneliness among the senior community. Less than 20% of seniors live alone and a recent study from the University of California in San Francisco suggests that living with others may feel lonely. 43% of seniors surveyed and the results were quite shocking as the seniors felt lonely even when they were not living alone.

Seniors that are 60 years of age and older who report feelings of loneliness had a 45% higher risk of death as compared to those who do not report feeling lonely. Isolated seniors have a 60% higher risk of mental and physical decline than those who do not experience social isolation.

Why Is Loneliness A Serious Concern?


As per the research, it is found that when a feeling of loneliness creeps in, it can increase the risk of anxiety, alcohol abuse, overeating, malnutrition, depression, mental and other social health issues. Loneliness can even increase the chance of high blood pressure, heart disease, arthritis and even glaucoma.

Many seniors do not live an active lifestyle and spend most of their time indoors. This further increases the likelihood of developing serious health issues that keep senior adults more confined. No matter how common this issue is in the senior community; it does not mean that friends, family and loved ones cannot do anything to lessen the impact of loneliness.

How to Protect Your Senior Loved One from the Loneliness?


One of the first things to remember that physical isolation is one of the biggest contributing factors to feelings of loneliness. Even if your loved one is not socially engaging with others, however being in a location where they see other individuals around on a regular basis can actually lessen their feelings of loneliness. Transportation challenges also impact a senior’s feelings of isolation which means there are many seniors living without an access to transportation. Helping seniors cope with a loss of independence can go a long way in warding off feelings of isolation.

On the other hand, new activities like clubs, gyms or volunteering are all great ways for seniors to challenge them to try something different and this would help them to maintain an active social life. This prevents loneliness and depression before it even starts.

Moreover, senior living facilities can also make the dramatic difference in any senior’s social life and combat feelings of loneliness magnificently. However, there are many other ways that loved ones can be more proactive in helping seniors get the social interactions they need to keep themselves mentally fit.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Tips for Helping Seniors Feel Included During Holidays in Assisted Living

Family Gathering For most of us, the holiday season is a joyous time where we experience shopping, arrange family get-togethers and enjoy outings with friends. However, many seniors feel lonely during this time of the year. They often feel neglected by other family members. This holiday season, you can give the gift of your time and make every possible effort to include seniors in your holiday festivities. There are various ways to make the holidays extra special for senior loved ones in your life: Have a Family Game Night Make your senior loved ones feel a part of the holiday celebrations by inviting them into your home for a family evening, like game night. Family night might seem mundane to you, but for someone who spends a lot of time at home alone would certainly feel great around the energy of a family and that can easily lift the spirits of your senior loved one. You can even go for watching a holiday movie or telling entertaining stories with some warm and comfort...
Post a Comment
Read more

Things That Your Retirement Community Won’t Tell You

Seniors at Assisted Living An assisted living facility is a place where seniors can reside for a longer period of time. All types of personal care such as support with meals, medications, bathing, dressing, and transportation are provided to the seniors at the assisted living centers. An assisted living facility is a better option than a nursing home for seniors who are still able to be independent. But be careful while choosing an assisted living facility for your senior. If you are looking for the perfect assisted living facility, consider the following points: Assisted Living is Not Forever It is quite a big misconception that seniors are allowed to live in the assisted living residence for a long time. Most of the times, seniors fail to do so and it leads to the rush in the assisted living residence. Therefore, all of them cannot enjoy the benefits of the facilities at assisted living. This results in a shortage of beds, food, etc. Thus, if you are deciding to move t...
Post a Comment
Read more

6 Major Foods to Eat Daily to Reduce Your Risk of Alzheimer’s

Alzheimer’s is a risk for many as they age. But did you know there are some foods which help cut down on your risk of developing this disease? If someone in your family is already suffering from Alzheimer’s disease then you already know how difficult it can be to care for them. And there's probably a good chance that you have done some research to discover the preventive measures. However, the fact is that practical and feasible advice is hard to find. However, there is a lot you can do with minimum effort to help reduce your risk of Alzheimer's disease. It is feasible with a planned diet. Actually, it is possible with "Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay" ( MIND ) diet. While this combines the Mediterranean and DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) foods, collectively it focuses on the reduction of the risk of hypertension, heart attack and stroke. In fact, as per a study, MIND diet helps lower the risk of Alzheimer’s disease b...
Post a Comment
Read more