Americans, More Than Ever, Are Aging Alone

Baby boomers are aging alone more than any other generation in American history, and their loneliness is a looming public health threat, reports the Wall Street Journal . About one in 11 Americans age 50 and older has no spouse, partner, or living child, comprising roughly eight million people. Research has found a physical cost to loneliness, and as close an association with early death as smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day or consuming more than six alcoholic drinks on a daily basis. "If we want to achieve health for our population, especially vulnerable people, we have to address loneliness," argues former Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services administrator Donald Berwick. Individuals most likely to lack close kin include college-educated women and people with little money, according to Pennsylvania State University Professor Ashton Verdery. Meanwhile, Brigham Young University researchers found a link between greater social connection and a 50 percent lower risk of early mortality. Research implies that isolated people face a higher risk of depression and cognitive decline and that social relationships can affect blood pressure, immune functioning, and whether people take their medications. Partial remedies may be found in support networks, especially after health episodes.