As the executive director of Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly in the Twin Cities, James Falvey sees the impact of social connections on older adults every day.
A nonprofit organization committed to relieving social isolation and loneliness among seniors, Little Brothers volunteers connect with older adults to build trusting, long-term relationships that ultimately lead to healthier lives.
“If you can spend some time and share your stories and share your life and learn about somebody else, could that be a rich experience for you? Would that add to your life? That’s what our volunteers are doing and the relationships really are mutually beneficial,” Falvey says. “It’s making a commitment to engage in human relationships, because when we do that for other people, that’s what feeds our souls.”
Social isolation, a lack of the basic human need to create meaningful connections, is a growing problem in the U.S. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, roughly 28 percent of people age 65 and older live alone. And though not everyone who lives alone experiences social isolation, it does increase the risk for it, as well as associated health problems.
Research has linked social isolation to increased stress and higher risk for heart disease, obesity, cognitive decline, depression, and other health issues. Ensuring our lives and those of our loved ones include regular, meaningful connections and support from family and friends can help to avoid these issues and improve our health as we age.
RECOGNIZING THE PROBLEM
One of the greatest challenges to addressing social isolation, Falvey says, is recognizing it in the first place. We commonly take pride in each other’s ability to remain independent. For instance, you’ve probably heard people brag about an older loved one’s ability to live on their own, Falvey says.
“One thing that occurs to us is that our economic success and our spirit of independence in our culture puts us in a position where we can financially support ourselves and not necessarily position ourselves to be reliant on our children or our neighbors,” he says. “And that’s a little contrary to the way human beings are wired. We train ourselves to be independent and focus on independence. And then what we realize as we age is our physical and mental capacity starts to diminish and we need to become dependent again. And we haven’t really set ourselves up for that.”
Falvey says an estimated one-third of the 50,000 people living alone in the Twin Cities are experiencing social isolation. But for many it is going unnoticed. Signs of social isolation might include withdrawal or a general lack of interest, a decline in personal hygiene, poor nutrition or eating, and a lack of home care (clutter, disrepair).
FINDING SOLUTIONS
Social connectedness is really one of five overlapping social determinants of health, a set of basic needs that also includes living conditions, available resources, societal support and social structures.
“Nobody is just lonely. And when we think about food insecurity, nobody is just hungry and nobody is just homeless,” Falvey says. “People are complicated. And usually when we don’t have all that we need, there’s a complex set of reasons why we don’t have all that we need.”
Blue Cross is doing its part to address each of the social determinants of health, recognizing their interconnectedness. Resources such as Caregiver Corner (caregivercornermn.com) provide tools and advice for those caring for older loved ones. Gym memberships and fitness programs, such as SilverSneakers®, give members a way to stay active and social.
Blue Cross also offers this “friendship prescription” for preventing social isolation:
- Remain your true, authentic self and rely on your long-lasting relationships. By staying true to yourself and staying close to those around you, you can help improve your overall health.
- Continue to seek out opportunities to stay connected. Reach out to neighbors and other social groups. Blue Cross retail centers offer free classes that can help you stay connected. And other events through the community or local gym can be powerful ways to engage.
- Plan ahead to overcome obstacles. Sometimes, life can get in the way of keeping up with friends. Luckily, today’s technology makes it easier than ever to stay connected. Consider other means of communication when face-to-face conversations aren’t possible.
- Open up about your health. Talking about health can be hard, but doing so can help seniors build richer friendships— and stay on top of their overall wellbeing.
Organizations such as Little Brothers are also helping to combat social isolation, but Falvey says it will take the efforts of everyone to really curb the epidemic.
“This is really, really important,” he says. “We all need to start to step up and say, how can we in our own small way, support this work so more people can live better lives?”