Self-perception of Social Isolation and Loneliness in Older Adults:
01 Sep 2017-Home Health Care Management & Practice (SAGE PublicationsSage CA: Los Angeles, CA)-Vol. 29, Iss: 4, pp 249-252
TL;DR: There are a large group of older individuals suffering from social isolation and loneliness; in fact, the number of older adults affected is increasing due to the large aging population worldwide.
Abstract: There are a large group of older individuals suffering from social isolation and loneliness; in fact, the number of older adults affected is increasing due to the large aging population worldwide. ...
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TL;DR: This study drew on interactionism and situationism (Erving Goffman) along with an emotion work approach (Arlie Hochschild) to provide a richer understanding of the lived experiences of loneliness and social isolation among frail older people living in care homes.
59 citations
Cites background from "Self-perception of Social Isolation..."
...Prevalence is expected to increase as the aging population grows (Alpert, 2017), which is concerning due to the negative social and health effects of loneliness and social isolation in later life....
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TL;DR: In this paper, a scoping review was conducted to gather and summarize the current literature on associations between online social networking and mental health outcomes (e.g., depression, life satisfaction, loneliness) among older adults.
Abstract: As the number of older adults is expected to increase exponentially within the next few decades, loneliness, social isolation, and depression among seniors are growing public health concerns. Although formal treatment options, such as therapy and medication, can be helpful for depression, they can also be expensive and sometimes ineffective. It is therefore important to consider other potential treatment options and social interventions. Alternative methods for addressing mental health issues are especially important for older adults, as they may encounter barriers associated with aging such as limited mobility and decreased social networks. In these circumstances, online social networking may offer a potential "social cure" to alleviate loneliness, social isolation, and depression. The purpose of this scoping review was to gather and summarize the current literature on associations between online social networking and mental health outcomes (e.g., depression, life satisfaction, loneliness) among older adults. An initial search of 3,699 articles resulted in 52 articles that met criteria for inclusion. Five common themes were identified: (1) enhanced communication with family and friends, (2) greater independence and self-efficacy, (3) creation of online communities, (4) positive associations with well-being and life satisfaction, and (5) decreased depressive symptoms. Implications for older adults' mental health, social connectedness, programs and policies are discussed.
17 citations
TL;DR: In this article, a case study of a phone and video conferencing service for older adults is presented, where the authors investigate their use, non-use, and learning of eHealth services in their everyday lives.
Abstract: There is a need to better understand older people’s use, non-use, and learning of eHealth services in their everyday lives. This paper reports a case study of a phone and video conferencing service...
16 citations
Cites background from "Self-perception of Social Isolation..."
...Social isolation and loneliness pose a growing threat to the physical and mental health of older people (Alpert, 2017; Chen & Schulz, 2016; Hagan et al., 2014)....
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...Social isolation and loneliness also increase the risk of all-cause mortality; conversely, social networks and support are protective against mortality (Alpert, 2017; Holt-Lunstad et al., 2010)....
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...Alpert (2017) defined social isolation as “an objective state of having minimal social contact with others as opposed to loneliness which is viewed as a subjective state of distress due to self-perceptions of being lonely and not belonging” (p. 250)....
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...Researchers in this field, therefore, have called for more studies exploring the effectiveness of ICT interventions (Alpert, 2017; Hagan et al., 2014; Hasan & Linger, 2016)....
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...Aging is often related to the narrowing of social networks, and social isolation and physical decline may compound the problem of loneliness (Alpert, 2017; De Guzman et al., 2012)....
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TL;DR: The availability of hugs was a stronger or more reliable associate of SRH than other established associates and the potential health promoting role of hugs can be supported.
Abstract: This study examined the relationship between the "availability of hugs" and self-rated health (SRH) in later life. Data of 20,258 older adults, aged 65 years and greater, were analyzed from the Canadian Community Health Survey. Logistic regression techniques were used to estimate the association between the availability of hugs and reporting higher SRH. Results demonstrated that participants who had hugs available to them "all," "most," and "some" of the time had significantly greater odds of reporting higher SRH than those who reported hugs available to them "none of the time" (ORrange = 1.31-1.46, 95% CIrange = [1.10-1.74], prange = .01-.001). The availability of hugs was a stronger or more reliable associate of SRH than other established associates. As such, the potential health promoting role of hugs can be supported. Future research should examine the appropriate contexts, settings, and implementation practices for hugging interventions among consenting older adults.
6 citations
Cites background from "Self-perception of Social Isolation..."
...With reports of diminishing social networks and increasing rates of social isolation and loneliness among older adults, the exploration of the relationship between hugs and health in later life is particularly important (Alpert, 2017; WHO, 2007)....
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TL;DR: The influence of public health measures and messaging on leisure put older and younger people alike at increased risk of stres... as mentioned in this paper, and the COVID-19 has significantly changed the way families engage in leisure.
Abstract: COVID-19 has significantly changed the way families engage in leisure. The influence of public health measures and messaging on leisure put older and younger people alike at increased risk of stres...
5 citations
References
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TL;DR: In a meta-analysis, Julianne Holt-Lunstad and colleagues find that individuals' social relationships have as much influence on mortality risk as other well-established risk factors for mortality, such as smoking.
Abstract: Background
The quality and quantity of individuals' social relationships has been linked not only to mental health but also to both morbidity and mortality.
Objectives
This meta-analytic review was conducted to determine the extent to which social relationships influence risk for mortality, which aspects of social relationships are most highly predictive, and which factors may moderate the risk.
Data Extraction
Data were extracted on several participant characteristics, including cause of mortality, initial health status, and pre-existing health conditions, as well as on study characteristics, including length of follow-up and type of assessment of social relationships.
Results
Across 148 studies (308,849 participants), the random effects weighted average effect size was OR = 1.50 (95% CI 1.42 to 1.59), indicating a 50% increased likelihood of survival for participants with stronger social relationships. This finding remained consistent across age, sex, initial health status, cause of death, and follow-up period. Significant differences were found across the type of social measurement evaluated (p<0.001); the association was strongest for complex measures of social integration (OR = 1.91; 95% CI 1.63 to 2.23) and lowest for binary indicators of residential status (living alone versus with others) (OR = 1.19; 95% CI 0.99 to 1.44).
Conclusions
The influence of social relationships on risk for mortality is comparable with well-established risk factors for mortality.
Please see later in the article for the Editors' Summary
5,070 citations
TL;DR: Possible mechanisms through which support systems may influence the etiology of physical disease are outlined and conceptual and methodological guidelines for future research in this area are proposed.
Abstract: Although there has been a substantial effort to establish the beneficial effects of social support on health and well-being, relatively little work has focused on how social support influences physical health. This article outlines possible mechanisms through which support systems may influence the etiology of physical disease. I begin by reviewing research on the relations between social support and morbidity and between social support and mortality. I distinguish between various conceptualizations of social support used in the existing literature and provide alternative explanations of how each of these conceptualizations of the social environment could influence the etiology of physical disease. In each case, I address the psychological mediators (e.g., health relevant cognitions, affect, and health behaviors) as well as biologic links (e.g., neuroendocrine links to immune and cardiovascular function). I conclude by proposing conceptual and methodological guidelines for future research in this area, highlighting the unique contributions psychologists can make to this inherently interdisciplinary endeavor.
1,703 citations
TL;DR: The adaptive plasticity of chronic stress involves many mediators, including glucocorticoids, excitatory amino acids, endogenous factors such as brain neurotrophic factor (BDNF), polysialated neural cell adhesion molecule (PSA-NCAM) and tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), which leads to a different way of regarding more holistic manipulations.
1,609 citations
TL;DR: Loneliness is associated with an increased risk of late-life dementia but not with its leading causes, and was robustly associated with cognitive decline and development of AD.
Abstract: Context Social isolation in old age has been associated with risk of developing dementia, but the risk associated with perceived isolation, or loneliness, is not well understood. Objective To test the hypothesis that loneliness is associated with increased risk of Alzheimer disease (AD). Design Longitudinal clinicopathologic cohort study with up to 4 years of annual in-home follow-up. Participants A total of 823 older persons free of dementia at enrollment were recruited from senior citizen facilities in and around Chicago, Ill. Loneliness was assessed with a 5-item scale at baseline (mean +/- SD, 2.3 +/- 0.6) and annually thereafter. At death, a uniform postmortem examination of the brain was conducted to quantify AD pathology in multiple brain regions and the presence of cerebral infarctions. Main outcome measures Clinical diagnosis of AD and change in previously established composite measures of global cognition and specific cognitive functions. Results During follow-up, 76 subjects developed clinical AD. Risk of AD was more than doubled in lonely persons (score 3.2, 90th percentile) compared with persons who were not lonely (score 1.4, 10th percentile), and controlling for indicators of social isolation did not affect the finding. Loneliness was associated with lower level of cognition at baseline and with more rapid cognitive decline during follow-up. There was no significant change in loneliness, and mean degree of loneliness during the study was robustly associated with cognitive decline and development of AD. In 90 participants who died and in whom autopsy of the brain was performed, loneliness was unrelated to summary measures of AD pathology or to cerebral infarction. Conclusion Loneliness is associated with an increased risk of late-life dementia but not with its leading causes.
1,084 citations
TL;DR: It is concluded that future intervention programmes aimed at reducing social isolation should have evaluation built into them at inception, and that the results of the evaluation studies, whether positive or negative, should be widely disseminated.
Abstract: As the population ages and more people are living alone, social isolation amongst older people is emerging as one of the major issues facing the industrialised world because of the adverse impact it can have on health and wellbeing. This article reviews the empirical literature published over the last 20 years on the effectiveness of interventions that target social isolation amongst older people. The results reveal that although numerous such interventions have been implemented worldwide, there is very little evidence to show that they work. It is concluded that future intervention programmes aimed at reducing social isolation should have evaluation built into them at inception, and that the results of the evaluation studies, whether positive or negative, should be widely disseminated. Where possible, as a cost-effective measure, pilot or demonstration projects should precede these interventions. Some key elements of successful interventions to counter social isolation amongst older people are presented.
423 citations