PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH ISOLATION:

• Low morale
• Poor health
• Premature institutionalization
• Depression
• Cardiovascular disease
• Insufficient self-care

The population of those age 65 and older is the fastest growing segment of our population.  According to the most recent Census data, the population of Virginians age 60 and over will grow from 14.7% (1990) to more than 25% by 2025 when there will be more than two million Virginians in this age group.  In addition, the number of Virginians age 85 and older will increase dramatically in that same time frame -- five times faster than the state’s total population growth[i].  For the City of Richmond, the population aged 60 and over was 32,775 in 2000 and is expected to grow to 47,720 by 2020 and to 55,121 by 2030[ii]. 

Social isolation among elders has long been recognized as an important problem that should be addressed in our efforts to maximize the well-being of older adults.[iii]  Social isolation has been associated with problems of low morale, poor health, and the risk of premature institutionalization.[iv]  Social isolation also frequently leads to depression and a variety of associated health problems, such as compromised neuroendocrine or immune functioning.[v]  Loneliness has been linked to cardiovascular disease as well, through a variety of physiological processes.  

In addition to biological linkages, lonely people are more likely to suffer from cardiovascular disease due to the deleterious health effects of their own lifestyles.  Examples include little to no exercise, unhealthy eating habits and alcohol abuse.[vi]  Because of their isolation, people experiencing loneliness might not sufficiently perform self-care activities because they are not motivated to do so or they do not have social contacts that encourage them to do so.[vii]  From self-care activities to cardiovascular disease to depression and loneliness, social isolation is a complex problem that affects every aspect of a person’s life -- biological, psychological, social, and spiritual.  Strong and consistent evidence points to an important association between social network involvement and better physical health among older adults.[viii]