Loneliness may be the worst thing for the health of older adults. Researchers from the Regenstrief Institute and Indiana University School of Medicine found that loneliness, which has emerged as a major biopsychosocial stressor, is worse for older people than alcoholism, obesity, and smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day.
This study, published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, suggests that primary care clinicians could be at the forefront of addressing this silent epidemic. The findings, which come in the wake of the U.S. Surgeon General’s call to action to address the loneliness epidemic, highlight that 53 percent of older adults visiting primary care facilities report feeling lonely. These feelings significantly impact their physical and mental health, reducing their overall quality of life.
“The first and obvious answer for loneliness is for primary care physicians to screen their patients,” says study first author Dr. Monica Williams-Farrelly, a Regenstrief research scientist and an assistant research professor at IU School of Medicine, in a media release. “Based on the literature and research, loneliness has influences on health that are quite significant and quite strong, so in the same way that we ask older adults: Do you smoke? Or do you measure your blood sugar?”
The research underscores the importance of primary care settings in not just identifying loneliness but also in offering tangible solutions.
“This research is important because it identifies and suggests evidence for interventions that are necessary for older adults in primary care who experience loneliness,” explains principal investigator Dr. Nicole Fowler, a Regenstrief research scientist and an associate professor and a director of research at IU School of Medicine. “Primary care clinicians should discuss loneliness with their older adult patients and provide resources to help them create meaningful social relationships.”
One particularly effective intervention highlighted by researchers is the Circle of Friends concept. This three-month, group-based psychosocial rehabilitation model focuses on enhancing interaction and friendships among participants. It has demonstrated success in not only reducing feelings of loneliness but also in improving various health outcomes, such as subjective health, cognition, and mortality, while potentially lowering healthcare costs.
The study’s data was gathered during the COVID-19 pandemic, which amplified the already increasing trend of loneliness among older adults.
