Middle-Aged and Older Americans Are Becoming Lonelier - Rob Horowitz

Middle-Aged and Older Americans Are Becoming Lonelier - Rob Horowitz

Our epidemic of ‘loneliness and isolation,” brought to public attention by former US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, shows no signs of abating and is not limited to our youth. In fact, a new national survey conducted by AARP finds that loneliness is rising among American adults, ages 45 and older, at “an alarming rate.”

More specifically, 4-in-10 (40%) Americans, 45 and older, are lonely today, a marked increase from the 35% in this age group that were lonely in 2018, according to AARP.  Within this older age range, loneliness is most pervasive among people in their 40s and 50s and is more prevalent among men than women.

Employing a scale developed by UCLA, AARP defines loneliness as when one experiences a strong sense of isolation and disconnection that regularly causes distress. The occasional longing for more connections and human contact we all feel from time to time does not earn one the lonely label.

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Shrinking overall social networks and fewer friends are among the top predictors of loneliness, according to AARP. “Nearly half of lonely older adults have limited social resources and wish for stronger connections, compared to about a third of older adults overall.”   Similarly, nearly 1-in-2 (45%) lonely older adults have fewer friends than 5 years ago, as compared to 29% of all adults 45 and over 

This is all occurring against a backdrop of marked declines in overall participation among Americans 45 and older in activities that foster connections with one’s fellow community members and provide opportunities to make new friends. Over the past 15 years: “religious service attendance down from 44% to 36%, volunteering down from 44% to 34%, and community group membership down from 25% to 22%,” finds AARP.

The continuing pervasiveness of loneliness in our society negatively impacts our individual health and the health of our communities. It increases our vulnerability to infectious and chronic illnesses and harms our mental health. It is the equivalent of smoking 15 cigarettes a day and its health impacts are “greater than those associated with obesity and physical activity,” according to the former surgeon general. The widespread feeling of isolation and absence of social connection reduces the vibrancy of our communities and threatens our quality of life.

The causes of our loneliness epidemic are many-faceted, including the rise in the number of Americans living alone and the related decline in marriage rates, the advent of online cubbyholes, the decline of 3rd places where we can easily gather, the increase in remote work, and the aforementioned decline in civic and community participation, among others.  While some fundamental changes are required to comprehensively address the problem, AARP recommends simple steps each of us can take in the meantime to reduce any loneliness we be feeling and to begin to take on the society-wide challenge the rise in it presents.  These include” reaching out to a friend, engaging in community activities or simply starting a conversation that can make a meaningful difference.”  

AARP urges all of us to do our part to ‘create a more connected society.”   As the largest organization that advocates for older Americans aptly put it, “By fostering a more connected society, we can create a community where everyone feels seen, valued, and supported.”