Overcoming Isolation And Loneliness

Wednesday, March 1, 2017

(NAPS)—If you've ever felt lonely, you're not alone. Researchers at the University of Chicago found that nearly half of older adults in America experience some degreeof loneliness. ‘The University of Chicago study is part of Connect2Affect, a collaborative effort spearheaded by AARP Foundation to learn more aboutisolation and loneliness in older adults and to work toward practical solutions to reconnect older Research suggestsit’s a healthy idea for older Americansto avoid isolation. may seem surprising to many is that strain in their marital relationship are at lowerrisk ofloneliness. adults to their communities. Onething the study highlighted that loneliness and isolation are not the same. Loneliness andIsolation Loneliness or subjective isolation denotes how people perceive their experience and whetherthey feelisolated. Objective isolation involves quanti- fiable measurements, such as the size of the person's social network (and thefrequency of engagement withit), availability of transportation,and ability to access resources and information. The Problem Together, loneliness and_ isolation create a growing health epidemic. ‘The health risks of prolonged isolation—inits broadest sense, including both objective isolation and loneliness—are equivalent to smoking 15 cigarettes a day. More than 8 million adults age 50 and olderare affected byit. WhyIsolation Happens Often, there are multiple causes, in- cluding poor physical and mental health, poorly designed communities, and major life events such as loss andretirement. Socioeconomic status stands out as a differentiator between nonlonely and lonely individuals. Lonely older adults are significantly more likely to have an annual household income of less than $25,000 andassets less than $10,000, and are morelikely overall to be in the lowest Some Answers Fortunately, isolation can be over- come. Here are 12 ideasto try: Nurture and strengthen existing relationships. Ask people over for coffee, or invite them to join you for a trip to a museum or a movie. e Schedule a time each day to call a friend or visit someone. Meet your neighbors—youngorold. Use social media such as Facebook to stay in touch with long-distance friends, or write an old-fashionedletter. Stay physically active and include group exercise as a fun wayto socialize while staying healthy. Take a class to learn something new and expand yourcircle offriends. Revisit an old hobby and connect with others who share yourinterests. Volunteer to deepen your sense of purpose andhelp others. Visit a senior or community center to find a wide range ofactivities and opportunities to meet people. Check out faith-based organizations. Manyoffer outreach to help isolated community members. Don't let being a nondriver keep you from staying active. Find out about your transportation options. Many income group. Marital status is another strong in- communities have free or low-cost services, and ride-hailing apps are an affordable option for many. Get involved in a cause. and morelikely to be divorced, separated For further advice about isolation, dicator of loneliness. Both married and unmarried older adults can be lonely— butthe lonely areless likely to be married or widowed. Fourteen percent ofmarried older adults and 30 percent of unmarried older adults fall into the lonely group. While married women are at a higher risk of loneliness than married men, unmarried womenareat a lower risk of loneliness than unmarried men. In both cases, those with more support and less Learn More check out the Connect2Affect website at http://connect2affect.org/. The website includes a searchable directory of local resources to help people connect with their communities and a fast, easy self-assessment test to identify isolation risk. For information about AARP Foundation,visit www.aarpfoundation.org.

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