Social isolation and loneliness among older adults

Lonely Seniors

Senior Citizens Do Not Have to be Lonely

A study involving older adults from senior residential facilities in the Chicago area suggests that isolated seniors may experience twice the risk of Alzheimer's disease compared with those who are not lonely or secluded ("Loneliness linked…" 8). Researchers at the University of California San Francisco analyzed data showing loneliness to be particularly debilitating to older adults and may predict serious health problems and even death. There are both psychological ramifications, such as depression, and physiological ramifications that can be addressed by looking at the problem of loneliness.

The elderly are susceptible to feelings of loneliness and isolation because of life changes that often occur at this stage of life. Individuals may have spent all their adult lives in the work place and be unable to deal with too much newfound leisure time. If they had children, their children are grown, with their own lives, jobs, relationships, and perhaps children of their own. Physical geography may separate seniors from loved ones. Illness and death among the peer group can also lead to loneliness.

Fortunately, in today's society, there are options available to seniors so they do not have to suffer. For example, recent widow Barbara Dane, an accomplished jazz singer for over seventy years, still continues to perform in the San Francisco area. She credits her passion for music and the resulting social life as the secret to her health and well-being at eighty-five (Kim).

Not all seniors have Dane's talent or access to big-city resources. However, most communities across the U.S., even small towns, have some type of senior center where people can go, free of charge, to enjoy various activities and make social connections. The Council on Aging in Gardner, Massachusetts, for example, serves a community of approximately 20,000 people. It offers a weekly breakfast with the city's mayor, and other regularly scheduled activities including billiards, line dancing, bowling, card games, movies, a quilting group, bingo, and seminars on health and finances. The Council regularly schedules day trips for seniors, too, which can be enjoyed for relatively little money. A popular destination is the Foxwoods Casino in nearby Mashantucket, Connecticut.

Other public and private organizations also offer resources for seniors to help stave off loneliness and isolation. Local libraries often have book discussion groups and lecture series open to members of the community free of charge. An advantage to these activities might be that they are open to all ages, providing seniors with opportunities to connect with members of younger generations. The same is true for courses at community colleges, where seniors are often allowed to enroll for free, as is the case at Gardner's Mount Wachusett Community College (MWCC). MWCC also has a fitness center, where seniors can swim in the lap pool, use exercise equipment, and attend fitness classes designed just for them. Privately-owned fitness franchises sometimes offer similar options.