Ageing experts have shared ways to increase social connection and reduce loneliness among older people after recent research showed loneliness has become an epidemic in the U.S. and Australia, with one in three people affected and a third of all seniors now living alone.
A study from Stanford University published in the journal Aging found that loneliness ages a person even faster than smoking.
Loneliness, unhappiness, and hopelessness added up to one year and eight months to someone’s age—five months longer than smoking.
Recent research by Australian Catholic University’s Associate Professor Jenneke Foottit has identified that for older adults, the connection to friends is more important than the connection to family. Yet, these are the relationships most impacted by ageing.
Seniors tend to lose contact with friends because of obstacles caused by life events and ageing. Being unable to drive, health and mobility issues, physical changes, and cognitive decline are major hurdles to being social.
Her evaluation found they visit shopping centres not to shop, but to exercise and socialise, such as talking with mothers and their children.
“For older adults, staying socially connected means being able to interact with others in various ways, but for it to be significant, it needs to be face-to-face for the majority of the time,” she said.
The community, she said, have a responsibility to examine these problems and seek tools and resources to help the elderly maintain their independence as well as social connectedness to friends and family.
“These can range from minor and relatively cheap alternatives to large budget initiatives, but the real question is whether there is a will to support older adults to age well and remain in the place of their choice for as long as possible,” she added.
She said there were many things we can do to help older people feel less socially isolated:
5 Tips for Helping Older People Feel less lonely
1. Get to know the older adults in your neighbourhood. It is not necessary to visit them in their home but chat over the fence, and once they know you, exchange phone numbers and encourage them to call you if they have a problem.
2. Get to know the routines of older adults in your neighbourhood, particularly the ones who live alone. Look for signs that something is out of the ordinary—like curtains not being opened when they usually are, papers or mail not collected, and washing not taken off the line.
3. Chat with older adults when you encounter them at the shop, bus or park. Ask about their day. For some older adults, that may be their only interaction for days or weeks. Some older adults shop daily or often simply to talk to the staff at the shop.
4. Inform older adults of events such as school concerts, community activities, and opportunities to attend to help them to stay connected to their local community.
5. Be patient with older adults. They need more time to walk across the street, go to their car in the car park, and pick out their shopping. Some older adults may be grumpy, but they may also be in pain. Look past the grumpiness and share some kind words.
Family and friends can also recommend a seniors program from the Australian Department of Social Services to address loneliness and social isolation.
It provides a national phone support service and peer support networks that engage in social activities such as walking groups, social events, and guest speakers.