Loneliness and social isolation of older adults: Why it is important to examine these social aspects together

@article{Newall2019LonelinessAS,
  title={Loneliness and social isolation of older adults: Why it is important to examine these social aspects together},
  author={Nancy E. G. Newall and Verena H Menec},
  journal={Journal of Social and Personal Relationships},
  year={2019},
  volume={36},
  pages={925 - 939}
}
Research shows that social isolation and loneliness are important health issues for older adults. This message is increasingly being recognized by policy makers and service providers. Although the concepts of loneliness and social isolation are often discussed and compared with one another, they are largely examined separately, even if they are both included in the same study. In the present article, we argue for bringing together these two related concepts. For example, focusing only on social… 
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Social Isolation’s Influence on Loneliness Among Older Adults
  • H. Taylor
  • Psychology
    Clinical social work journal
  • 2020
TLDR
Examination of social isolation’s overall influence on loneliness and how specific social isolation indicators influence loneliness found that greater overall social isolation and specific social isolate indicators are associated with greater loneliness.
The association between loneliness, social isolation and all-cause mortality in a nationally representative sample of older women and men.
TLDR
Loneliness and social isolation is associated with an increased mortality risk, and social integration should be a prioritised target for activities and services involving older adults.
Examining social isolation and loneliness in combination in relation to social support and psychological distress using Canadian Longitudinal Study of Aging (CLSA) data
TLDR
Examining the four social isolation/loneliness groups provided more nuanced risk profiles than would have been possible had they been examined separately, and may suggest avenues for interventions tailored to the unique needs of at-risk individuals.
The Role of Solitary Activity in Moderating the Association between Social Isolation and Perceived Loneliness among U.S. Older Adults
  • Ke Li, F. Tang
  • Psychology
    Journal of gerontological social work
  • 2021
TLDR
It is implicate that social work programs and interventions can aim to expand social networks and provide more opportunities for solitary activities, particularly for isolated older adults, as well as the moderating effect of solitary activity.
The link between social anxiety and intimate loneliness is stronger for older adults than for younger adults
TLDR
The results suggest that older adults with higher intimate loneliness may benefit from interventions aimed at decreasing their social anxiety, and that the pruning mechanism of investing more in closer and more rewarding relationships among older adults may be challenged under high social anxiety.
Beyond the Individual: Evidence Linking Neighborhood Trust and Social Isolation Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults
TLDR
Increases in the perception that neighbors are trustworthy and helpful were associated with statistically significant decreases in loneliness and increases in perceived social support from friends over a 4-year period.
Change in Loneliness Experienced by Older Men and Women Living Alone and With Others at the Onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic
TLDR
Analyzing 14-years of data with multilevel mixed-effects models finds higher levels of loneliness among people living alone, people more socially isolated, and people with less perceived support, and older people most likely to benefit from intervention.
Voice-Activated Virtual Home Assistant Use and Social Isolation and Loneliness Among Older Adults: Mini Review
TLDR
Results suggest that VHAs are perceived by many older adult users as “companions” and improve social connectedness and reduce loneliness and public education, industry standards, and regulatory oversight is required to mitigate potential risks associated with VHA use.
Primary care-based interventions addressing social isolation and loneliness in older people: a scoping review
TLDR
Although professionals and participants reported the need for long-lasting interventions to create meaningful social networks, durable interventions were scarce and sustainability should be a core outcome when implementing loneliness and social isolation interventions in primary care.
Online Social Networking and Mental Health among Older Adults: A Scoping Review
TLDR
The purpose of this scoping review was to gather and summarize the current literature on associations between online social networking and mental health outcomes (e.g., depression, life satisfaction, loneliness) among older adults.
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