Staying Connected: Why Social Health Matters as We Age
Dr. Namita Yende
| 3 min read
Key Takeaways
- Social connections can support healthy aging and improve emotional and physical well-being for adults over 50 experiencing loneliness or isolation.
- Loneliness and social isolation can increase the risk of depression, heart disease, high blood pressure, cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease.
- Calling loved ones, volunteering, joining community activities and visiting senior centers can help older adults build meaningful social connections.
- Adults over 50 facing loneliness or social isolation can seek support from primary care providers, therapists and community organizations.
What is a typical day like for an adult over 50 in the United States? Those who include some sort of social activity – whether meeting friends for coffee, volunteering or phone calls with loved ones – are more likely to have better emotional and physical well-being.
One of the greatest challenges to healthy aging is loneliness or social isolation. Yet, in multiple national surveys, more than one in three adults over age 50 report feeling lonely – a number that has increased over the past 10 years.
It turns out that creating and maintaining social connections later in life supports healthy aging and reduces the risk of depression, cognitive decline and a host of chronic conditions.
Physical health risks of social isolation
Loneliness and social isolation are not the same thing. Loneliness is a feeling of being disconnected or alone. Social isolation is a lack of relationships or community. Both can be detrimental to a person's well-being.
According to the National Institute on Aging, older adults experiencing loneliness or social isolation are at higher risks for:
- Heart disease
- Obesity
- Depression
- High blood pressure
- Cognitive decline
- Alzheimer's
Research on the physiological effects of loneliness and social isolation found that the body changes on a cellular level when people lose social connection and experience feelings of loneliness.
One potential change is that immune system cells produce more inflammation. Chronic inflammation can weaken the immune function, increasing one’s susceptibility to illness and infection.
In addition, social isolation often leads to a sedentary lifestyle, which is associated with many adverse health conditions such as obesity and heart disease.
Finally, because humans are social beings, having a lack of social support can negatively influence a person's health behaviors, making people more susceptible to harmful habits such as smoking, unhealthy eating, drinking, falling behind on health maintenance and being noncompliant with medical and medication regimens.
How to build social connections
Certain factors may make some people more susceptible to loneliness or social isolation. For example, it can be more challenging to maintain social connections when individuals live alone, have physical limitations, vision or hearing challenges, lack of transportation, financial limitations or other barriers.
While those challenges make it more difficult to engage with others outside of the home, there are many ways older adults can build and maintain meaningful social connections in everyday life:
- Reach out. Make the effort to call, text or send a note to a friend or family member. If it’s difficult to leave home, schedule a phone call or video call with someone.
- Check community listings. Local cities and townships usually offer classes and activities through their recreation departments. It’s a great way to do something fun and meet other local residents.
- Volunteer. Helping others provides a sense of purpose and good feelings.
- Check the local senior center or library. These are valuable resources for support and activities.
- Find a support group. There are many different kinds of support groups, and individuals can often find one that fits their specific needs or concerns.
In addition to the suggestions above, individuals who are experiencing loneliness or social isolation can speak with their primary care provider or therapist for suggestions and resources.
Namita Yende is a senior medical director and associate CMO with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. For more health tips and information visit AHealthierMichigan.org.
Photo credit: Getty Images
