Loneliness among older adults
Older adults are particularly vulnerable to loneliness. Keep scrolling to read key resources exploring loneliness among older adults.
National Academies of Sciences (2019)
Social Isolation and Loneliness in Older Adults: Opportunities for the Health Care System
Literature Review
Primary finding: This report makes recommendations specifically for clinical settings of health care to identify those who suffer the resultant negative health impacts of social isolation and loneliness and target interventions to improve their social conditions.
Freedman (2020)
Social isolation and loneliness: the new geriatric giants: Approach for primary care
Literature Review
Primary finding: Social isolation, loneliness, and social vulnerability are common problems in older adults and have important health consequences. Family physicians are uniquely positioned to identify lonely and socially isolated older adults and to initiate services.
Ejiri et al. (2021)
Predictors of older adults' objectively measured social isolation: A systematic review of observational studies.
Systematic Review
Primary finding: Among 10 studies, factors associated with loneliness and social isolation spanned socio-demographic, physical health , psychological, cognitive, social, and cultural domains. Most studies were cross-sectional and vulnerable to bias, and lacked consistent standards for measurement.
Dahlberg et al. (2021)
A systematic review of longitudinal risk factors for loneliness in older adults
Systematic Review
Primary finding: Among 19 studies, a total of 120 unique risk factors for loneliness were examined. Risk factors with relatively consistent associations with loneliness were: not being married/partnered and partner loss; a limited social network; a low level of social activity; poor self-perceived health; and depression/depressed mood and an increase in depression. Despite the range of factors examined in the reviewed articles, strong evidence for a longitudinal association with loneliness was found for relatively few, while there were surprising omissions from the factors investigated. Future research should explore longitudinal risk factors for emotional and social loneliness.
Quan et al. (2019)
A systematic review of longitudinal risk factors for loneliness in older adults
Systematic Review
Primary finding: Among 15 studies, results suggest that, although less common than interventions in the community, there are several effective interventions to reduce loneliness among older adults living in LTC facilities. Lack of standardized measures and high-quality studies limits comparisons between intervention types and generalizability to different populations.
O’Rourke et al. (2017)
Definition, Determinants, and Outcomes of Social Connectedness for Older Adults: A Scoping Review
Literature Review
Primary finding: This scoping review mapped the definitions, determinants, and outcomes of social connectedness for older adults. By identifying the conceptual features described in most articles, social connectedness was defined as: the opposite of loneliness, a subjective evaluation of the extent to which one has meaningful, close, and constructive relationships with others (i.e., individuals, groups, and society). Social connectedness is operationalized into: (a) caring about others and feeling cared about by others, and (b) feeling of belonging to a group or community. One's social network and life satisfaction were the most frequently proposed determinant and outcome, respectively.
Ong et al. (2016)
Loneliness and Health in Older Adults: A Mini-Review and Synthesis
Literature Review
Primary finding: Increasing evidence suggests that perceived social isolation or loneliness is a major risk factor for physical and mental illness in later life. This review assesses the status of research on loneliness and health in older adults. Key concepts and definitions of loneliness are identified, and the prevalence, correlates, and health effects of loneliness in older individuals are reviewed. Theoretical mechanisms that underlie the association between loneliness and health are also described, and illustrative studies examining these mechanisms are summarized. Intervention approaches to reduce loneliness in old age are highlighted, and priority recommendations for future research are presented.
Freeman et al. (2017)
Social isolation and loneliness: the new geriatric giants: Approach for primary care
Literature Review
Primary finding: Social isolation, loneliness, and social vulnerability are very common in older adults and are associated with considerable morbidity and mortality, comparable to established risk factors such as smoking, alcohol consumption, obesity, and frailty. Numerous interventions addressing loneliness and social isolation have been studied: social facilitation (including technology), exercise, psychological therapies, health and social services, animal therapy, befriending, and leisure and skill development. However, current evidence of effectiveness is limited.
Courtin et al. (2017)
Social isolation, loneliness and health in old age: a scoping review
Literature Review
Primary finding: Depression and cardiovascular health are the most often researched outcomes, followed by well-being. Almost all (but two) studies found a detrimental effect of isolation or loneliness on health. However, causal links and mechanisms are difficult to demonstrate, and further investigation is warranted. We found a paucity of research focusing on at-risk sub-groups and in the area of interventions.