Senior Health Tips
Those who feel lonely face even greater risks than those who do not have many close friends, reveals research from the University of Chicago. Older people who are able to adjust to being alone don't have the same health problems.
The study is the first to examine the relationships between health and two different types of isolation. Researchers measured the degree to which older adults are socially connected and socially active. They also assessed whether older adults feel lonely and whether they expect that friends and family would help them in times of need.
Older adults who feel most isolated report 65 percent more depressive symptoms than those who feel least isolated, regardless of their actual levels of connectedness. The consequences of poor mental health can be substantial, as deteriorating mental health also reduces people's willingness to exercise and may increase health-risk behaviors such as cigarette smoking and alcohol use, explained Linda Waite, the Lucy Flower Professor in Sociology at the University of Chicago and a leading expert on aging. Among the study's findings:
The most socially connected older adults are three times as likely to report very good or excellent health compared to those who are least connected, regardless of whether they feel isolated.
Older adults who feel least isolated are five times as likely to report very good or excellent health as those who feel most isolated, regardless of their actual level of social connectedness.
Why not see your doctor about whether or not you are suffering from depression. If so, your physician may prescribe medication or counseling. Then try to re-connect with others through a volunteer organization where you can share interests with those of like mind? Or, consider hiring a caregiving companion such as a CAREGiver from Home Instead Senior Care. Or, if you're in good health, be a CAREGiver yourself. It's a great way to help others who may be as lonely as you.
