Caregiving Monday: Loneliness in Senior Adults

loneliness in elderlyOne of the greatest complaints in senior adults is loneliness.   Particularly as they grow older, are limited in their abilities and/or stamina, become home bound and experience the loss of the majority of their friends.  I’ve heard GG*, Mrs. H, Mrs. B, Mrs. T, and Mrs. W {all women I worked for} all make these same statements.

As family and friends it is important to understand the limitations the senior adults in our lives face and to be understanding to their plight.  Often this loneliness leads to depression in our loved ones.  They often feel cut off and possibly abandoned by the outside world.

Often they just want someone to listen as they talk.  Some senior adults have no one to visit, while others may have a steady stream of visitors.   There are numerous factors that lead to this such as size of family, how long they’ve lived in the area, involvement in their church, community, society, etc.; amount of friends still living, age, etc.

What ways can you help your senior adult not feel so lonely?

*Name altered

 

Next week: Ways to Help Senior Adults Deal with Loneliness