Ihmiset ovat sosiaalisia olentoja, ja yhteydenpito muihin ihmisiin auttaa meitä selviytymään ja menestymään. Valitettavasti ihmiset ikääntyessään ovat yleensä yksinäisiä verrattuna nuoriin.

Se on tila, jossa yksilö on osittain tai kokonaan erillään yhteiskunnasta. Se on tila, jossa on eristäytynyt normaaleista sosiaalisista verkostoista, ja se voi johtua joistakin tekijöistä, kuten työttömyydestä, terveysongelmista tai liikkumisen puutteesta.

It is an unpleasant emotional response to perceived isolation. It is feeling that you are alone, empty or separated from others. You can be lonely even when you are surrounded by people.

Social isolation and loneliness can affect anyone regardless of age, income, gender, occupation and religious belief but you may be at an higher risk if you;

• Are a child or youth
• Live alone
• Have a low income
• Have a chronic illness, mental health or disability
• Lost your job or are retired

Social isolation and loneliness can affect your physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. They can also lead to health issues like dementia, depression and even death. Social isolation and loneliness are very important issues but are always trivialized. One out of three older people feel lonely and reports shows that it affects the longevity of older people. Older adults are at a high risk for loneliness and social isolation because they are more likely to face factors such as living alone, the loss of family or friends, chronic illness and hearing loss. “Loneliness acts as a fertilizer for other diseases, the biology of loneliness can accelerate the buildup of plaque in the arteries, help cancer grow and spread and promote inflammation in the brain leading to Alzheimer’s disease”_Dr Cole.

Loneliness and social isolation among older individuals are major public health concerns, leading some to refer to them as the next “vital sign” for older adults. Loneliness and social isolation are hardly considered or addressed in health and mental health care settings. Yet they are among the most adjustable risk factors for mortality and morbidity. Older adults are highly vulnerable to social isolation and loneliness due to decline in health and mobility, loss of important loved ones, and the smaller size of their social support network.

KEY FACTS:

• Approximately 1 in 2 over the age of 60 are at risk of social isolation.
• Approximately 1 in 3 community-dwelling older adults experience Loneliness.
• The rate of loneliness among older adults is two times higher in long-term care settings than in community settings.

• Social factors: living alone, loss of loved ones, family separation, few friends and being the caregiver for a spouse.
• Economic factors: limited or no financial resources.
• Psychological factors: depression, anxiety dementia
• Physical factors: poor health, serious illness, decreased mobility, loss of Independence.
• Logistical factors: loss of driver’s license, lack of transportation.

• Hypertension
• Obesity
• Depression
• Stroke
• Mental health decline
• Cardiovascular disease
• Substance use
• Dementia
• Suicide attempts
• Premature death.

Loneliness is usually difficult to spot and older adults themselves are often unaware they are lonely or may be reluctant to say that they are. Using the three item routine which includes items related to companionship [getting pets like cats and dogs], belongingness and isolation. When administered the three scale may be used to determine changes in loneliness.

• Stress- high blood pressure and stress level are usually high in lonely people especially older adults.
• Social isolation was associated with 50% increased risk of dementia.
• Loneliness can be associated with high rates of depression, anxiety and suicide.
• Isolation leads to higher instances of older adult abuse, they are prone to fall victims of scammers and financial mistreatment. This would likely make them protect abusers if they don’t have other caregiving resources.
• Increase in unhealthy habits- lonely older adults are more likely to smoke, drink excessively and neglect the need for physical activity but social support can encourage them to live a healthy lifestyle.
• Maintaining a balanced diet is a difficult issue for older adults because of *decreased appetites, medication side effects and physical changes.
• Loneliness increases the risk of Alzheimer’s disease-loneliness is a risk factor for cognitive decline and this could be because isolated older people have less stimulation or because their symptoms are less likely to be reported before the disease progresses.

• Improve social skills- increase verbal and non-verbal communication skills.
• Increase social support- friendly visitors, virtual connections or groups, support groups.
• Increase access to social interactions- telephone outreach, online chat, hearing aids and assistive devices, social activities and events.
• Change the mindset of the lonely older adults because most of them have this negative thought about life and they tend to evaluate situations around wrongly. Little or no trust can also be a contributor to social isolation and loneliness.

• Let them participate in community events.
• Try new things like music, painting or do things of interest.
• Help them connect with friends and family through technology such as over the phone, text or video chat. Make new connections by being volunteers, join a social club or group activity, online book club or anything to keep them preoccupied.
• Most importantly, reach out to people if you are worried about them.

We may not be able to reach out to every older adult in the society but if we can focus on and show love to those very close to us, we will be able to curb or reduce the rate of loneliness and social Isolation among older adults around us.