{"id":10235,"date":"2019-06-07T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2019-06-07T05:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lifeline.philips.com\/resources\/blog\/2018\/06\/how-to-live-longer-by-losing-loneliness.html"},"modified":"2023-08-10T15:24:33","modified_gmt":"2023-08-10T20:24:33","slug":"how-to-live-longer-by-losing-loneliness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lifeline.com\/blog\/how-to-live-longer-by-losing-loneliness\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Live Longer by Losing Loneliness"},"content":{"rendered":"

When we dream about our golden years, we see our older selves gracefully living out our lives engaged in meaningful activities and surrounded by family and friends<\/a>.<\/p>\n

But the reality can be different for many older adults. Almost half of seniors (43%) say they feel lonely and isolated, according to\u00a0a landmark study<\/a>\u00a0by the University of California at San Francisco. Those numbers are likely under-reported because elders feel awkward or self-conscious talking about these feelings.<\/p>\n

Addressing isolation and loneliness in seniors<\/a> is critical, though, because beyond the emotional impact, being lonely also affects cognitive and physical health.<\/p>\n

What Loneliness Is<\/h2>\n

To better understand loneliness in older adults, let\u2019s define it.<\/p>\n

\u201cLoneliness is the state of socially and\/or emotionally feeling isolated, separate, apart from others \u2013 disconnected,\u201d explains Julia Lunsford, a geriatric psychiatrist in the Departments of Psychiatry and\u00a0Geriatric Medicine<\/a> at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. \u201cIt\u2019s not the same thing as being alone or in solitude.\u201d<\/p>\n

In fact, many of the seniors in the UCSF study who reported feeling lonely were married or living with other people.<\/p>\n

What Loneliness Looks Like in Older Adults<\/h2>\n

Spotting loneliness in yourself or another person can be hard.<\/p>\n

\u201cSome of the most common physical and behavioral signs of loneliness and\/or depression include persistent sadness and lack of motivation or energy,\u201d notes Charla Anderson, Texas Regional Director of Clinical Operations for\u00a0Oceans Healthcare<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Periodic feelings of loneliness are a normal part of aging, but prolonged loneliness and isolation are as serious as depression \u2013 and deserve professional help.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s so important to address feelings of loneliness as soon as possible because early intervention can positively affect the quality of life,\u201d she continues. \u201cIf loneliness is not addressed quickly, the feelings only increase and can manifest into more serious issues.\u201d<\/p>\n

How Loneliness Affects Seniors<\/h2>\n

Researchers at UCSF and the\u00a0University of Chicago<\/a>\u00a0found that senior citizens\u2019 loneliness is associated with:<\/p>\n