Quicks Facts About Social Isolation and Loneliness Among Older Adults
What are social isolation and loneliness?
- Social Isolation: An objective measure of a person’s social network [1] . and level of social interaction [2] .
- Loneliness: A subjective experience reflecting the gap between a person’s desired and actual social connections. [1] .
How common are social isolation and loneliness in older adults?
- 17.6% of Canadian 65 years+ reported being lonely before COVID-19 [3] .
- 21.7% of Canadian 65 years+ reported being lonely during COVID-19 [3] .
- 33% of Ontarians 50 years+ reported being socially isolated during the pandemic [4] .
What are the risk factors for social isolation and loneliness in older adults?
- Being an older adult [5] .
- Being a woman compared to a man [6] .
- Having compromised health status and multiple chronic health problems [7] .
- Living alone [6] .
- Having no children or family contacts or family support [7] .
- Experiencing critical life changes: losing a spouse, retiring, losing driver’s license [7] .
- Lacking transportation [7] .
- Lacking access to community programs and services [7] .
What are the impacts of social isolation and loneliness?
- Fair or poor mental health [6] .
- Increased risk of dementia [8] .
- Functional decline [9] .
- Higher cancer mortality risk [9] .
- Increased risk of death [11] [12] .
- Frequent emergency department visits [12] .
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