Loneliness Is as Dangerous as 15 Cigarettes a Day for Older Adults Welbi
go to original March 26, 2022

Senior loneliness and isolation are not issues that should be ignored or taken lightly. A Statistics Canada study from 2009 showed that around 20% of seniors aged 65 and older felt lonely at least some of the time. For seniors aged 85 and older, this figure was 25%. This is a problem that worsens with age and it can have major consequences. Loneliness and isolation not only pose major threats to the physical health of seniors but can have severe effects on mental health as well.

Loneliness vs. Isolation

A distinction should be made between loneliness and isolation, as they are not the same. A study by McMaster University defines isolation as a state that arises from having too few or no social relationships. This is contrasted with loneliness, which is the subjective perception of having insufficient social relationships or not enough contact with people.

A pair of Welsh researchers also looked at the differences between loneliness and isolation in adults over 65 and made a distinction between the two. Individuals were considered to be isolated if they met the following criteria:

  • Lives alone
  • Never goes out of the house
  • Has no close relatives
  • Never visits anyone
  • Has no contact with neighbors
  • Is alone for more than 9 hours a day
  • Has no telephone
  • Nearest neighbor is more than 50 yards away (out of earshot)

Loneliness, on the other hand, had different criteria:

  • Wishes for more friends
  • Does not see enough of friends and relatives
  • Has no confidant
  • Has no real friends living nearby
  • Does not meet enough people
  • Has no one of whom to ask favors
  • Spent the previous Christmas alone and lonely

The two are related but distinct. Seniors can be isolated and not feel lonely (and vice versa), which the study touches on in more detail. The fact that these two issues are separate could mean that they affect seniors differently, but more research is necessary to reach a conclusion.

The loneliness and isolation that seniors experience is usually a result of low-quality social relationships or a lack of these relationships entirely. However, other risk factors may make them more susceptible to these issues.

Impacts on Health

Isolation and loneliness can severely impact the health of seniors. One study found that lonely seniors have a 59% higher risk of physical and mental health decline and a 45% greater risk of death. Other researchers have suggested that loneliness can be as dangerous as smoking 15 cigarettes a day or being an alcoholic.



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Related: Everything You Need to Know About Senior Isolation (AgingInPlace)

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