Loneliness and Isolation Among Older Adults

• Seniors who are part of active social networks have better physical and mental health. Social support is linked to a lower risk of overall deaths, heart disease, cancer death, functional decline and institutionalization. University of Michigan researches found that friendships are more important than family relationships in predicting good mental health of seniors 60 and older.
• Seniors who are lonely are twice as likely to develop Alzheimer's disease. Independent research demonstrates a clear link between less social activity and a higher risk of dementia symptoms. Numerous other studies link loneliness with substance abuse, obesity, diabetes, and other health risks.
• Older adults -- particularly women - may have decreasing social contacts. This may occur with the death of a spouse, loss of other companions through death or institutionalization, loss of household pets, and the departure of adult children. If married to a spouse in poor health where they are the primary caregiver, the impact can cause decreased social contacts and contribute to poor mental health and decreasing physical health.
• The number of older adults who are both unmarried and childless will continue to rise. Trends of smaller families and higher percentages of people divorcing or remaining single, as well as longer life spans, all lead to lack of the two main sources of informal support for the elderly - spouses and adult children.
  Ø People who are surrounded by others may still experience long-lasting loneliness. Contacts with friends or neighbors are often seen by the elderly as more important than contacts with family. Living with adult children does not guarantee adequate social interaction.
• Chronic diseases and other physical losses can lead to depression. Being homebound is common among disabled older persons and has been associated with nutritional deficiencies, reduced access to medical care and depression. Hearing or vision loss may limit social contacts through difficulty in using the telephone. Incontinence problems may contribute to social isolation because of fear of embarrassment. Fear of falling may lead to loss of confidence and decreased physical activity. Mobility is a major contributor to the well-being of elderly people, and loss of the ability to drive one's car can lead to increased isolation.
• Fear of crime is so great among older people that many live in a virtual state of "self-imposed house arrest." Hazards may include inadequate or unsafe housing conditions and crime-ridden neighborhoods, which make social contacts more difficult to maintain. Because they may receive less help from others, they are at risk of inadequate nutrition and may lack help with household chores and the social contacts that are a part of these services. In addition, low income elders may be unable to pay for travel to visit friends or relatives, or to have their family visit them.

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FACTS:

According to the 2000 census, the number of Whatcom County residents 60 years and older grew by 16% since 1990, and residents ages 75 and older increased by 35%.

There were 37% more seniors living alone in Whatcom County in 2000 than in 1990, and in 2000, 25% of all seniors 60 and older in San Juan, Skagit, and Whatcom Counties were living alone.

The Northwest Regional Council's Area Plan projections of our senior population for 2010 is nearly 26, 000 seniors age 60 and older, and nearly 7,000 of those individuals are 80 years or older.