Unwanted loneliness is a feeling that greatly affects older people. Specifically, in Spain, 64% of older people experience it, according to a study by the la Caixa Foundation. Furthermore, in 14.8% of cases it is an experience of severe or very severe loneliness.
This unwanted loneliness brings with it negative consequences for the mood, emotional well-being, and mental and physical health of those who suffer from it. Therefore, it is advisable to pay attention to the elderly people around us, detect if they are in a situation of isolation and try to promote their socialization.
In the article “Effects of loneliness on the health of older people”, the consequences of the feeling of loneliness on the psychological and physical health of older people are identified. To do this, nurse Elena Palma-Ayllón and psychologist María Dolores Escarabajal-Arrieta consulted databases of studies in this regard.
After selecting 10 articles, they identified consequences of the feeling of loneliness on the health of older people in different areas. To begin with, this is associated with psychological disorders such as anxiety, nervousness and anguish. In addition, unwanted loneliness increases the risk of depression, physical frailty and lower physical quality.
On the other hand, loneliness is a predictor of cognitive deterioration, being a relevant neuropsychiatric symptom in preclinical Alzheimer's. Other studies cited in the article show, as a consequence of loneliness, a greater probability of suffering from poor health, feelings of hopelessness, a greater risk of suffering from a chronic illness and presenting dissatisfaction with life. Finally, the feeling of loneliness is associated with a higher risk of mortality.
Considering all these consequences, the authors of the article highlight that “loneliness is a public health problem, it generates suffering and illness in older people, to which is added its effect on health systems.” “For all these reasons, it is important to develop and implement interventions with the aim of alleviating it and preventing its negative effects,” they conclude.
