“I wasn’t the best father”: Elderly man begs not to die alone and breaks down in tears… Read more👇👇

That is why specialists distinguish two concepts:

1. Living alone, which describes a physical situation. 2. Feeling lonely, which is an emotional experience and can occur even when you are surrounded by people.

This difference is important because the feeling of loneliness is the one that has been most related to health problems.

What happens when an older person spends too much time in isolation?

Lack of social interaction can affect much more than mood.

Research has found an association between prolonged loneliness and an increased risk of depression, anxiety, cognitive impairment, physical frailty, falls, more frequent hospitalizations, and higher mortality.

The researchers explain that the absence of human contact can promote a sedentary lifestyle, decrease motivation to eat correctly, reduce physical activity and cause diseases to go unnoticed for longer.

The role played by the loss of a partner

One of the most difficult changes during old age is the departure of a life partner.

After living together for decades, many people go from sharing every moment of the day to facing a completely silent house, which can accelerate isolation if there is no support network.

Physical health also plays a role

Over the years, problems appear that make it difficult to maintain an active social life, the loss of mobility is the main one.