Feeling Isolated? Hidden health risk for older adults Amy Sweezey
For months, people have been following the advice of medical professionals and state leaders to “stay home” and “stay safe.” Knowing the coronavirus can be lifethreatening, especially to older adults, everyone has been encouraged to reduce the risk of exposure to themselves and to others. But sheltering at home can mean isolation from family, friends and activities that keep humans engaged in life. Directors at the Texas A&M Center for Population Health and Aging are studying social connectedness in older adults and the detrimental effects of social isolation and loneliness on physical and mental health. The study shows that the safety guidelines to self-isolate from the pandemic have inadvertently created new health risks for older adults by leaving them more isolated and inactive than ever before. Even before the pandemic began, studies showed that nearly a quarter of older Americans felt socially isolated, and about a third of middle-aged and older adults experienced loneliness. That isolation often leads to other health issues: chronic disease, psychiatric disorders, declining cognitive function, depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, even premature death. Of course, staying at home also makes living a healthy lifestyle more difficult, including the challenge of trying to eat well and exercise. Without exercise, muscles can weaken. Inactivity can lead to weight gain, declining heart function and decreased lung capacity.
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