The U.K. is beginning to view social isolation as a serious public health issue — and data indicates the U.S. probably should too, according to The New York Times.
About one-third of adults in Britain and the U.S. who are over age 65 live alone, according to a report in The New York Times. And, more than half of Americans over age 85 live alone, according to the report. Especially for older adults, living alone can be isolating, and loneliness is a greater predictor of early death than obesity, according to the report.
The New York Times cites research that shows chronic loneliness can increase stress hormones, raise blood pressure and decrease blood flow to vital organs. It also cites a study that indicates loneliness in adults over age 60 is associated with less mobility, difficulty performing everyday tasks and death.
Britain's National Health Service has begun to consider loneliness a public health issue, and a number of initiatives have sprung up to help mitigate it. For example, The New York Times gives the example of "The Silver Line Helpline," a hotline for older adults looking for contact. The line receives about 1,500 calls per day, most often just to talk, according to the report. Callers ask for cooking advice, to check the time or to reminisce on past memories.
This service is one of many in the U.K., which is ahead of the U.S. in tackling loneliness, according to The New York Times. Sources told the newspaper work still needs to be done in recognizing the link between loneliness and health in the U.S.
Read the full report here.
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