Opinion: How to avoid this deadly senior trap (AMAVA)
/No doubt you’ve heard the phrase “dying of a lonely heart.” It’s true, many people do. In fact, here’s a staggering finding: In terms of dying early, being lonely is worse—two times worse, in fact, than being obese.
That’s how unhealthy being lonely can be.
That’s according to researchers from the University of Chicago, who tracked more than 2,000 people aged 50 and over for more than six years. They found that the average person in the study who admitted being lonely had a 14% greater risk of dying an early death. In terms of mortality, the only thing worse was living in poverty. Sadly, some people fall into both categories.
Why is loneliness such a killer? Numerous studies link being alone—persistently alone and isolated, with little if any contact with family or friends—to everything from heart attacks, strokes, depression and anxiety.
How big of a problem is loneliness among older Americans? Very big, according to another survey on healthy aging, this one conducted by the University of Michigan’s Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation. It says that one in four people aged 50 to 80 feel isolated at least some of the time, and one in three lack regular companionship.