One of the most
frequent and under-recognized health issues that can impact elders is
loneliness. As people get older, circumstances such as the death of spouses and
close friends, the migration of family members, and the start of chronic
illnesses all add to feelings of isolation and loneliness.
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As a
result of this, both physical and mental health suffer.
While
the first negative health effect on our list is practically self-evident, it
shows the breadth of loneliness's impact on senior health. Loneliness has a
detrimental influence on both physical and mental health, to put it bluntly. A
recent study based on data from the National Social Life, Health, and Aging
Project found that elders isolated are more likely to report poor physical and
mental health. While the medical community continues to investigate the link
between loneliness and overall health, one thing is clear: loneliness is
hazardous to one's health in numerous ways.
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Increased
Mortality Risk
An
increased chance of death is another negative health effect of loneliness in elderly adults. According
to a study, adults who are socially isolated or lonely have a higher chance of
killing. This result, according to one idea, is because persons who live alone
or have few social ties are less likely to seek medical treatment if they
develop acute symptoms without prompting.
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Increased
Chances of Dementia and Cognitive Decline
Loneliness
has various harmful implications on mental health as a mental disorder. These
effects manifest themselves most visibly in the elderly as cognitive decline
and the emergence of forms of dementia. Perceived social isolation is a risk
factor to contribute to poor overall cognitive function, faster cognitive
decline, the beginning of dementia, according to numerous studies.
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Increased
Depression Risk
The
influence of loneliness on mood is maybe one of the most intuitive effects of
loneliness, according to Hadar Swersky,
Co-founder and Chairman of the Age group. Loneliness is always related to
unpleasant sensations such as melancholy, anguish, numbness, and low
self-worth, regardless of demographic category. It turns out that loneliness
gets directly linked to depression symptoms in adults and seniors. That shows
that loneliness may contribute to the onset of mental health difficulties like
depression, or it may exacerbate mental health concerns in people who already
have them.
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High
Blood Pressure and Long-Term Illness Risk
While loneliness is a mental illness, its effects extend well beyond the brain. Several studies have found a correlation between loneliness and poor physical health in the elderly. The study found a link between loneliness and long-term sickness. Loneliness was also associated with a higher risk of long-term illness in the elderly. In addition, a study published in the journal Psychology and Aging found a link between loneliness in elder persons and increases in systolic blood pressure over four years. Blood pressure levels rose regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, or other probable contributors, according to Hadar Swersky, Co-founder and Chairman of the Age group.