Loneliness a Common Health Threat for Older Adults

Research published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal found a strong connection between loneliness and poor health and mortality risk in older adults, reports Reuters Health . "Loneliness is a public health issue that impacts older people from many different perspectives, making it an important cross-cutting issue," noted the University of Toronto's Paula Rochon. The study authors said loneliness is not a classified disease or mental disorder, and is distinctive from other mental states like anxiety and depression. However, it can cause feelings of desperation, tedium, self-deprecation, hopelessness, and a negative attitude toward self and others. The researchers suggested doctors could treat loneliness via social prescribing, in which health workers "prescribe" community resources for social support like volunteering, visiting local museums, or joining a home-visiting service. Rochon recommended using the Three-Item Loneliness Scale to evaluate loneliness. If subjects respond "some of the time" or "often" to two or more items on the scale, they may be considered lonely.