As we move through 2021, the loneliness posed by social distancing will likely remain a challenge for seniors. Healthcare providers should take a more proactive role in helping seniors manage their mental health in a safe and healthy way.
With social activities and events consistently delayed or canceled for almost a full year, seniors have become increasingly vulnerable to feelings of depression and isolation. Many already struggled with isolation from others, but it only increased due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
For those with access to technological tools like Zoom, FaceTime or Skype, video communication has helped to ease (if not completely alleviate) the pain of separation from family.
But for seniors in skilled nursing facilities who may not have ready access to computers or technical assistance, continued estrangement and isolation during ongoing or sporadic COVID-19 outbreaks will cause secondary concerns that care providers must keep front of mind as the pandemic continues.
Providers must be nimble and remain ready to again rely on technology options and other tools they’ve used to engage and serve residents since last March.
Understanding the dangers loneliness poses
Seniors who suffer from loneliness have a 64% higher risk of developing dementia and a 59% higher risk of physical and mental decline overall. Several chronic conditions that are common among seniors are exacerbated by loneliness.
For example, isolation is said to increase blood pressure by the same amount that exercise and weight loss decreases it, which raises concerns about heart attacks, strokes and other heart and brain conditions. Lonely seniors are more likely to experience coronary artery disease, hypertension and cardiac failure, underlining the cardiovascular threats posed by isolation.
There are other concerns as well. Elder abuse and financial scams pose a greater threat to lonely seniors who are eager for human connection.
In addition, seniors may have little opportunity to form trusting bonds with others or report physical abuse or neglect by caregivers, especially if they have no access to others to provide help. Additionally, seniors who are socially isolated are far more likely to fear the future and view a decline in their quality of life as inevitable.
More than 148 studies indicate there is a higher risk of mortality for seniors who are isolated or lonely. Older individuals with strong social connections were 50% more likely to live longer. Even recovery from surgery is adversely affected by loneliness and positively affected by social connection. One study found seniors who had coronary bypass surgery were 2.6 times more likely to die in 30 days after the procedure if they were experiencing loneliness, a risk that persisted at some level even five years after the surgery.
What healthcare leaders can do
Seniors living in care facilities and other group environments were initially hard-hit by the spread of the virus, and many facilities have dramatically changed their protocols and style of operation to adjust and protect residents’ health and lives. At the same time, however, these changes mean seniors are still spending more time alone than they would have in early 2020.
Healthcare leaders can and should take action to protect seniors’ lives from the coronavirus epidemic while also providing safeguards against loneliness. One of the primary benefits of group living for seniors is alleviating isolation, so facilities have sought solutions that provide greater protection from infection without introducing loneliness as a renewed risk factor.
Senior care facilities can provide iPads and other easy-to-use communication devices, but care aides may need to provide assistance to ensure they are used to make connections with friends and family. Even though it may not take the place of human contact, video interaction with loved ones can significantly alleviate isolation for many seniors. Online apps can also help seniors participate in group exercise classes, enjoy shared movie nights on Netflix or reminisce over old family photos.
Healthcare leaders should also keep attention on improving transportation solutions, even when it comes to accessing essential services and medical care. Seniors with more access to safe transportation, including that provided by care facilities, are more likely to get the care they need.
Care providers have been driven to innovate and protect seniors’ lives from the coronavirus epidemic, as well as from the dangers posed by isolation. By keeping social connections, high on the agenda for seniors, healthcare leaders can forge a new standard for protecting lives while ameliorating loneliness.
As we move through 2021, the loneliness posed by social distancing will likely remain a challenge for seniors. Healthcare providers should take a more proactive role in helping seniors manage their mental health in a safe and healthy way.
With social activities and events consistently delayed or canceled for almost a full year, seniors have become increasingly vulnerable to feelings of depression and isolation. Many already struggled with isolation from others, but it has only increased due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
With family members warned to stay away from close contact, more of these 13.8 million seniors spent the majority of 2020 and the beginning of 2021 alone.
For those with access to technological tools like Zoom, FaceTime or Skype, video communication has helped to ease (if not completely alleviate) the pain of separation from family. But for seniors in skilled nursing facilities who may not have ready access to computers or technical assistance, continued estrangement and isolation during ongoing or sporadic COVID-19 outbreaks will cause secondary concerns that care providers must keep front of mind as the pandemic continues.
Understanding the dangers loneliness poses
Seniors who suffer from loneliness have a 64% higher risk of developing dementia and a 59% higher risk of physical and mental decline overall. Several chronic conditions that are common among seniors are exacerbated by loneliness.
For example, isolation is said to increase blood pressure by the same amount that exercise and weight loss decreases it, which raises concerns about heart attacks, strokes and other heart and brain conditions. Lonely seniors are more likely to experience coronary artery disease, hypertension and cardiac failure, underlining the cardiovascular threats posed by isolation.
There are other concerns as well. Elder abuse and financial scams pose a greater threat to lonely seniors who are eager for human connection.
In addition, seniors may have little opportunity to form trusting bonds with others or report physical abuse or neglect by caregivers, especially if they have no access to others to provide help. Additionally, seniors who are socially isolated are far more likely to fear the future and view a decline in their quality of life as inevitable.
Over 148 studies indicate there is a higher risk of mortality for seniors who are isolated or lonely. Older individuals with strong social connections were 50% more likely to live longer. Even recovery from surgery is adversely affected by loneliness and positively affected by social connection. One study found seniors who had coronary bypass surgery were 2.6 times more likely to die in 30 days after the procedure if they were experiencing loneliness, a risk that persisted at some level even five years after the surgery.
What healthcare leaders can do
Seniors living in care facilities and other group environments were initially hard-hit by the spread of the virus, and many facilities have dramatically changed their protocols and style of operation to adjust and protect residents’ health and lives. At the same time, however, these changes mean seniors are still spending more time alone than they would have in early 2020.
Healthcare leaders can and should take action to protect seniors’ lives from the coronavirus epidemic while also providing safeguards against loneliness. One of the primary benefits of group living for seniors is alleviating isolation, so facilities have sought solutions that provide greater protection from infection without introducing loneliness as a renewed risk factor.
Senior care facilities can provide iPads and other easy-to-use communication devices, but care aides may need to provide assistance to ensure they are used to make connections with friends and family. Even though it may not take the place of human contact, video interaction with loved ones can significantly alleviate isolation for many seniors. Online apps can also help seniors participate in group exercise classes, enjoy shared movie nights on Netflix or reminisce over old family photos.
Healthcare leaders should also keep attention on improving transportation solutions, even when it comes to accessing essential services and medical care. Seniors with more access to safe transportation, including that provided by care facilities, are more likely to get the care they need.
Care providers have been driven to innovate and protect seniors’ lives from the coronavirus epidemic, as well as from the dangers posed by isolation. By keeping social connections, high on the agenda for seniors, healthcare leaders can forge a new standard for protecting lives while ameliorating loneliness.
Bent Philipson is the founder of Philosophy Care, a consulting firm providing a range of services to skilled nursing facilities throughout New York and New Jersey.
