Jump to content

Choose locationKahi Mohala
  • Sign in or Enroll
    • Open I want to choose my medical group or hospital
    • Clear my location
Change Location

We've expanded your view

You are now viewing all services in the Sutter Health network. You can change your location above to narrow your view to a medical group, hospital, city or zip.
Sutter Health
  • Video Visits
  • Find Doctors
  • Find Locations
  • Treatments & Services
  • Locations
  • Sign in or Enroll
    • Video Visits
    • Find Doctors
    • Find Locations
    • Treatments & Services
    • COVID-19 Resources
    • Pay a Bill
    • Symptom Checker
    • Get Care Today
    • Diseases & Conditions
    • Health & Wellness
    • Classes & Events
    • Research & Clinical Trials
    • For Patients
    • About Sutter Health
    • Giving
    • Volunteering
    • Careers
    • News
    • For Medical Professionals
    • Other Business Services
Close Search
  • Home
  • Kāhi Mōhala
  • Health and Wellness
  • Senior Health
  • Loneliness in Seniors
Content

Loneliness in Seniors

Social isolation isn’t a normal part of aging. Learn how to build and maintain connections.

Mary Bernstein

Contributor

Mary Bernstein

Mills-Peninsula Medical Center

Diane Wilson

Contributor

Diane Wilson

Mills-Peninsula Medical Center

It’s normal to feel lonely from time to time. But as you grow older, your risk of social isolation increases. According to a survey of more than 3,000 people conducted by the American Association of Retired Persons, more than one-third of older adults say they’re lonely.

That’s problematic because loneliness is linked to depression and may make it much harder for you to manage health problems, say Mary Bernstein, LMFT, and Diane Wilson, LMFT, of the Mills-Peninsula Medical Center behavioral health outpatient care team that offers special services for seniors.

Young Hispanic woman visiting senior woman

“It’s not that simple to just go out and make new friends,” Bernstein says. Barriers that seniors encounter in making new social connections include:

  • Transportation—“You may no longer be able to drive, and our environment almost requires an automobile to get around easily,” Bernstein says.
  • Physical limitation—Pain or mobility issues may keep you at home.
  • Poor vision or hearing—You may worry about misreading facial expressions or being unable to follow conversation in noisy places.
  • Mental health issues—Someone battling depression or anxiety, for example, may be unable to leave home.
  • Addiction—A senior who’s dependent on a pain medication, alcohol or other substances may avoid social interaction that could expose his or her addiction.
  • Finances—If you’re on a fixed income, you may worry about social activities’ cost.

Loneliness is a Health Problem

“Seniors often experience a lot of loss,” Wilson says. “Friends may die or move away, retired seniors are no longer socializing at work, and physical limitations may require moving to a senior community—which provides ways to make new friends but also means losing a familiar neighborhood and connections.”

Loneliness that stems from loss and isolation correlates with earlier death, she says. Seniors without a strong social support network have a harder time getting help when they are sick or face a life-changing event. They may make more mistakes taking medications. Symptoms and chronic pain may worsen because there’s less to distract them from symptoms. Drinking and depression risks increase.

“If you can have someone come visit you when you are facing a hard time, you can deal with issues much better than when you are all alone,” Wilson says.

What You Can Do

If you are feeling lonely and sad a great deal of the time, recognize that this does not need to be a normal part of aging, Bernstein says. If you may be depressed, talk to your doctor. Many resources exist to combat both depression and loneliness.

“A great place to start is your local senior center,” Bernstein says. “Today’s seniors centers are so much more than bingo. They offer classes, trips and a whole range of activities, many suitable for young and active people in their early 60s.”

Give it more than one try. “You need to approach senior centers with realistic expectations,” Bernstein adds. “Sometimes seniors go once and because they don’t make a friend the first time, they give up and don’t go again. It may take going several times before you make some rewarding connections with new people.”

Bernstein and Wilson also recommend senior exercise classes, adult-education or community college classes and volunteering.

“Most importantly, stay active,” Wilson says. “Visit friends, go for a walk, call acquaintances and confide in someone.”

What Families Can Do

“Geographically, people are not so close to family anymore,” Bernstein says. “Kids may live on the East Coast and parents on the West Coast. That’s difficult for seniors, particularly once they’ve retired, because they don’t feel like they have a purpose the way they do in an intergenerational family. Suddenly they are not connected to the family and community the way they used to be.”

If you live far away, it might not be easy to know that your loved one has become isolated. Seniors may feel embarrassed to complain or admit they’re lonely.

“Seniors are proud,” Wilson says. “Most have been through a lot of difficult events in their lives, and they don’t want to look weak or be a burden on their kids.”

If you’re concerned about your aging relative’s isolation and loneliness, Bernstein and Wilson offer these tips:

  • Call and visit as much as possible.
  • During visits, talk to neighbors and find out what’s happening in your relative’s social circle.
  • Put together a phone list of doctors and neighbors.
  • Make sure your love one knows about nearby resources. “Take your elder to the local senior center and introduce him or her,” Wilson says. “Make sure they can see how easy it is to get there.”
  • Anticipate certain times that may trigger loneliness, such as the holidays or anniversaries of births and deaths.
  • Ask a neighbor check up on your relative when you can’t visit.

Related Articles

  • Chemical Dependency in Seniors
  • Exercise Benefits for Seniors
  • Eat Right to Slow Aging
  • Stay on Your Feet!
  • Stop Arthritis Pain
  • Slow the Aging Process

More Resources

View Sutter's Drug Guide

Drug Guide

Look up prescription and over-the-counter drug information.

View Sutter's full medical library

Medical Library

Look up helpful health information.

View Sutter's full library of disease and conditions

Diseases and Conditions

See our full library of diseases and conditions.

View information for Sutter Health Patients

Patient Information

Practical info for Sutter patients.

Tools and Quizzes

Tools and Quizzes

Online tools to help you make decisions about your health.

The Sutter Health Network of Care
Expertise to fit your needs
Primary Care

Check-ups, screenings and sick visits for adults and children.

Specialty Care

Expertise and advanced technologies in all areas of medicine.

Emergency Care

For serious accidents, injuries and conditions that require immediate medical care.

Urgent Care

After-hours, weekend and holiday services.

Walk-In Care

Convenient walk-in care clinics for your non-urgent health needs.

About Sutter

  • About Our Network
  • Annual Report
  • Awards
  • Community Benefit
  • Contact Us
  • News
  • Giving
  • Find Care

  • Birth Centers
  • Care Centers
  • Emergency Rooms
  • Hospitals
  • Imaging
  • Labs
  • Surgery Centers
  • Urgent Care
  • Walk-In Care
  • View All >
  • Featured Services

  • Behavioral Health
  • Cancer Services
  • Family Medicine
  • Home Health and Hospice
  • Orthopedics
  • Pediatrics
  • Pregnancy
  • Primary Care
  • Women's Health
  • View All >
  • Patient Resources

  • Accepted Health Plans
  • Classes and Events
  • Estimate Costs
  • Flu Resources
  • Health and Wellness
  • Medical Records
  • Medicare
  • My Health Online
  • Pay a Bill
  • Symptom Checker
  • Our Team

  • For Employees
  • Physician Careers
  • Recruiting Events
  • Sutter Careers
  • Vendors
  • Volunteers
    • ADA Accessibility
    • Contact
    • Privacy
    • Do Not Sell My Personal Information

    • LinkedIn Opens new window
    • YouTube Opens new window
    • Facebook Opens new window
    • Twitter Opens new window
    • Glassdoor Opens new window
    • Instagram Opens new window

    Copyright © 2021 Sutter Health. All rights reserved. Sutter Health is a registered trademark of Sutter Health ®, Reg. U.S. Patent & Trademark office.

    Cookie Policy

    We use cookies to give you the best possible user experience. By continuing to use the site, you agree to the use of cookies. Privacy Policy Cookie Preferences

    Privacy Policy Cookie Preferences