One in Three Older Americans Is Lonely. Here’s What Can Help

Older Adults and Loneliness

Loneliness is on the rise in the U.S., and no one is immune. Research published earlier this year found that people 18 to 22 years old were more likely than any other U.S. population to be lonely. But new data suggests that older adults are also lonely in high numbers.

HIGHLIGHTS

More than a third of adults over 45 are lonely, according to a new report from the AARP Foundation. While that percentage (35%) remains unchanged from a 2010 version of the survey, the over-45 population has increased substantially during those eight years — meaning about 5 million more adults, almost 48 million in total, can now be considered lonely.

Forty-six percent of adults ages 45 to 49 were classified as lonely, compared to just 24% of those older than 70. This trend could reflect the well-established “dip in happiness” that tends to occur around middle-age, followed by better quality of life in the later years, the report says.

The survey points to the importance of maintaining meaningful relationships — and suggests that when it comes to social contacts, more is better.

The survey also suggests that loneliness isn’t caused by one single event, which means that even individuals who have suffered setbacks like the death of a spouse can improve their social health.

TIME

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