Skip to page content
The Osborn The Osborn
  • Contact
  • Events
  • Careers
  • Donate
  • News & Blog
888-609-7509 Request a Tour
  • Independent LivingExpand Independent Living section
    • Overview
    • Services & Amenities
    • Resident Programs
    • Dining
    • Wellness
    • What is a Life Plan Community?
    • Neighborhood
    • Future Residents Club
    • Residences Overview
    • Residence Features
    • Available Units
    • Floor Plans
    • Community Map
    • Pricing
    • Understanding the Cost
    • Cost Calculator
    • The Cost of Waiting
  • Health ServicesExpand Health Services section
    • Overview
    • Assisted Living
    • Skilled Nursing
    • Memory Care
    • Rehabilitation
  • Home CareExpand Home Care section
    • Overview
    • 5-Star Care
    • Westchester County, NY
    • Fairfield County, CT
    • FAQ
    • Resources
  • FoundationExpand Foundation section
    • Overview
    • What We Fund
    • Ways to Give
    • Community Relations
    • Foundation FAQ
    • Donate to The Osborn Foundation
    • Foundation Blog / Events
  • About The OsbornExpand About The Osborn section
    • Overview
    • Leadership
    • Board of Trustees
    • Accreditations
    • Brochures
    • Gallery and Video
    • FAQ
The Osborn
Call us at 888-609-7509 Request a Tour
Home
  • Independent Living
  • Health Services
  • Home Care
  • Foundation
  • About The Osborn
  • Contact
  • Events
  • Careers
  • Donate
  • News & Blog
  • Call us
Independent Living
  • Overview
  • Services & Amenities
  • Resident Programs
  • Dining
  • Wellness
  • What is a Life Plan Community?
  • Neighborhood
  • Future Residents Club
  • Residences Overview
    • Residence Features
    • Available Units
    • Floor Plans
    • Community Map
  • Pricing
    • Understanding the Cost
    • Cost Calculator
    • The Cost of Waiting
Health Services
  • Overview
  • Assisted Living
  • Skilled Nursing
  • Memory Care
  • Rehabilitation
Home Care
  • Overview
  • 5-Star Care
  • Westchester County, NY
  • Fairfield County, CT
  • FAQ
  • Resources
Foundation
  • Overview
  • What We Fund
  • Ways to Give
  • Community Relations
  • Foundation FAQ
  • Donate to The Osborn Foundation
  • Foundation Blog / Events
About The Osborn
  • Overview
  • Leadership
  • Board of Trustees
  • Accreditations
  • Brochures
  • Gallery and Video
  • FAQ
The Osborn The Osborn
  • Contact
  • Events
  • Careers
  • Donate
  • News & Blog
888-609-7509 Request a Tour
Page Content
Back to Blog
Previous Post Next Post

Reducing Loneliness and Isolation for Seniors

September 15, 2021
how to reduce loneliness for older adults

Lonely Is Not the Same as Alone

~ by Carol Vartuli

It's no secret that older people can become isolated, especially if they suffer chronic illness or have physical limitations brought on from aging. But recently, the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society has noted that, "There is growing attention to loneliness and social isolation in later life. Both have been linked to adverse outcomes such as depression, cardiovascular disease, and mortality."

Those who are studying that connection distinguish between social isolation and loneliness. Isolation is the objective measure of the social contacts one has. Loneliness is subjective -- it is the feeling, or the perception, of being isolated.

Thus, not all socially isolated people experience loneliness. While about a quarter of adults over 65 are considered to be socially isolated, more than a third of adults 45 and over feel lonely (National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, NASEM).

"We found that whether people considered themselves to be lonely was a bigger risk factor for depression than how many social contacts and support they had,” said Dr. Gemma Lewis of University College London (UCL), Psychiatry. The 2020 UCL study found loneliness responsible for 18% of depression among people over age 50 in England.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) concur that Americans ages 50 and older are at increased health risk from social isolation and loneliness. Citing recent studies, the CDC states that being socially isolated significantly increases the risk of premature death from all causes. The risk equates to those from smoking, obesity, and physical inactivity. In addition, social isolation is linked to a 50% increased risk of dementia.

Loneliness, when combined with actual social isolation, can result in poor social relationships, which are associated with a 29% increase in the risk of heart disease and a 32% increase in strokes. As noted by the UCL study, loneliness is linked to increased rates of depression and anxiety.

What Can Be Done to Reduce Social Isolation or Loneliness?

Obviously, lonely or isolated individuals cannot magically change their own circumstances-- or their feelings. They're not likely to seek help for non-medical issues. So, while numerous agencies and organizations, like AARP and The National Council on Aging, can provide information, solutions, and services, an intermediary is needed to connect individuals to them.

A 2019 study by the NASEM, "Integrating Social Care into the Delivery of Health Care," outlined the role of health care systems in linking patients with social care resources.

A health care provider may be one of the few connections a socially isolated individual has, so that professional is in a unique position to determine a patient's social health, and to 'prescribe'  solutions -- like a physical exercise program to increase mobility, and help expand patients' social participation.

Integrated care consortiums, like Kaiser Permanente, are piloting programs (like Thrive Local) to create connections between health care providers and social service agencies. Thrive is also integrated into Kaiser's electronic health record to track social needs and referrals to local providers.

Health insurance companies, too, are focusing on social isolation and loneliness as problems to address in their broader health campaigns.

The growing recognition of social isolation and loneliness as significant health risks for older people has spurred action among a diversity of players.

Like the adage, "It takes a village to raise a child," it seems equally clear that 'It takes a community to sustain an elder.'

More Posts

  • How Gardening Boosts Wellness, Strength, and Purpose for Seniors

    May 15, 2025

    There’s something timeless about tending to a garden. The feel of the soil, the rhythm of planting and watering, the quiet reward of seeing things grow, all have a way of slowing us down, grounding...

  • The Benefits of Senior Rehabilitation: Regaining Strength, Confidence, and Independence

    April 15, 2025

    Aging gracefully means adapting to life’s changes—but sometimes, those changes involve a health setback that affects how you feel day to day. Whether from an illness, injury, or surgery...

  • International Women's Month

    March 15, 2025

    ~ by Carol Vartuli

    A March Challenge

    Who originated the concept of a cotton gin and helped solve the mechanical problems encountered by patent-holder Eli Whitney (1794...

More From the Blog

Request a Tour

This form is for use by individuals seeking information about Osborn or Osborn Home Care services ONLY. Please do not use this form for any other correspondence. Before submitting an information request please note the following:

  1. The Osborn is not a provider of low income/subsidized housing programs.
  2. The Osborn and Osborn Home Care are not Medicaid service providers.
  3. Current job openings and employment applications are posted on our careers page. Please do not use this form for employment questions.
  4. Any other question can be referred to marketing@theosborn.org

This form is for use by individuals seeking information about Osborn or Osborn Home Care services ONLY. Please do not use this form for any other correspondence. Before submitting an information request please note the following:

  1. The Osborn is not a provider of low income/subsidized housing programs.
  2. The Osborn and Osborn Home Care are not Medicaid service providers.
  3. Current job openings and employment applications are posted on our careers page. Please do not use this form for employment questions.
  4. Any other question can be referred to marketing@theosborn.org
Learn about Careers at the Osborn
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • About
  • Events
  • News & Blog
  • Contact
  • Pricing
  • Privacy Policy
  • Donate
  • Careers
US News Best Nursing Homes - Long-Term Care 2025 US News Best Nursing Homes - Short-Term Rehabilitation 2025 Newsweek America's Best Continuing Care Retirement Communities 2024
The Osborn 101 Theall Rd Rye, NY 10580 914-201-9500
2024 CMS Skilled Nursing Facility Overall Rating 3 Stars Health Inspection 3 Stars Staffing 4 Stars Quality Measures 4 Stars
© 2025 The Osborn All Rights Reserved
The Osborn is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and a member of Novare.org
Equal Housing Opportunity
Wheelchair Accessible
Pet Friendly
Programmed and Managed by Piszko Design