Senior Companions Reduce Loneliness in the Elderly
Companionship services help achieve a better quality of life
Former surgeon general, Vivek Murthy has brought attention to what he considers to be America’s fastest-growing public health crisis: Loneliness. It concerns him more than cardiovascular diseases, obesity, smoking and the nation’s system of health-care delivery.
Murthy says “During my years caring for patients, the most common pathology I saw was not heart disease or diabetes; it was loneliness,” Murthy wrote in the Harvard Business Review in 2017. “The elderly man who came to our hospital every few weeks seeking relief from chronic pain was also looking for human connection: He was lonely. The middle-aged woman battling advanced HIV who had no one to call to inform that she was sick: She was lonely too. I found that loneliness was often in the background of clinical illness, contributing to disease and making it harder for patients to cope and heal.” Loneliness, he states, is associated “with a greater risk of cardiovascular disease, dementia, depression and anxiety.”
Loneliness is a major concern for the elderly and seniors living alone. The concern is a social problem. Doctors and health professionals believe loneliness in’t just bad for communities, it’s a legitimate public health threat. A Brigham Young University study found that weak social connections can shorten a person’s life by 15 years -- roughly the same impact as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Research shows that greater social connections correspond to a 50 percent decrease in early death. A related report, which analyzed 70+ studies representing some 3.4 million individuals in North America, Europe, Asia and Australia, found living alone can be more harmful to a person’s health than obesity. “Loneliness in’t just an undesirable way to live. It can kill you.”
More than 42.6 million adults over age 45 suffer from chronic loneliness, according to an AARP survey. More than a quarter of the U.S. population now lives alone, and more than half the population is unmarried. Census data show a decline in both marriage rates and the number of children per household. Leading to more and more seniors living alone and at risk of loneliness and social isolation.
BrightStar Care of Passaic and Bergen County/ Fairlawn provides senior companions for seniors living alone. Our companion care services focus on improving the health and well-being of seniors who want to stay in their own home. We strive to provide our clients’ with activities that will be both stimulating and enjoyable. Learn more about our companionship services CLICK HERE.