How are loneliness, social support, and health connected in older adults who live alone?

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Social isolation and loneliness are serious public health issues because they are associated with negative physical, mental, and cognitive health outcomes and increased mortality risk. Changes in life circumstances leave many aging adults socially isolated and experiencing loneliness.

The researchers examined four correlated but distinct concepts—social network size, social support, social isolation, and loneliness—and their relationships with health and wellbeing among diverse subpopulations of older adults. Guided by the World Health Organization’s International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF), they also examined factors that predict loneliness and social isolation.

This study analyzed baseline data from older adults participating in an intervention trial examining the beneficial effects of a software system designed to support access to resources and information, as well as social connectivity. Participants were 300 adults aged 65–98 who lived alone, were primarily of lower socioeconomic status, and were ethnically diverse. They completed a demographics questionnaire and self-report measures of health, depression, social network size, social support, and loneliness.

Loneliness was strongly associated with depression and self-rated health. Greater social isolation and less social support were associated with greater loneliness. Social isolation was associated with depression and lower self-rated health. Loneliness mediated the association between social isolation and health. Participants in the older cohorts, aged 80 and above, reported less social support. Smaller social networks, more functional limitations, and limitations in engaging in meaningful activities were associated with higher loneliness and greater social isolation.

The findings underscore the importance of social connectivity to older adults’ wellbeing. They suggest that people in the older cohorts, those with small social networks, and those with greater physical and functional impairments may be particularly vulnerable to social isolation and loneliness. The findings offer guidance for future interventions. The authors discuss how Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) may promote social connectivity and engagement, and highlight strategies to improve the usability and availability of these applications for aging adults.