Unfortunately, this new year starts the same as previous years when it comes to the predicament of loneliness among older adults. An end-of-2024 study released by the National Poll On Healthy Aging reports that even though rates of loneliness and social isolation among older adults have returned to “pre-pandemic” levels, the numbers are still too high, as millions of older adults find themselves feeling lonely and isolated on a regular basis. According to this poll, in 2024, 33% of older adults felt lonely some of the time or often in the past year. The most common characteristics of those who felt lonely were poor physical or mental health, living alone, having a lower household income, and not working (not counting the retired). Those older adults who were most lonely were also likely dealing with social isolation. We know that loneliness can have a significant impact on both your physical and cognitive health, including elevating stress hormones, exacerbating inflammation throughout the body, and disrupting sleep, which can affect overall health. A recent study reports even more evidence of the negative health effects of loneliness. Published in Nature Human Behavior, this study from the University of Cambridge reports that loneliness is linked to a higher risk for heart disease, stroke, and susceptibility to infection. Researchers found an increased level of certain proteins in the blood of those who were lonely (as well as those socially isolated), proteins that are associated with inflammation, viral infection, type 2 diabetes, and stroke. As one post on this study made clear, “The biological price of loneliness may be steeper than previously thought.”

There are numerous and ongoing strategies to help older adults who are lonely. While someone can feel lonely even though they are living among other people, most suggestions for addressing loneliness emphasize the need for connection and companionship. In this day and age, the question is whether that connection can be fostered and supported primarily using technology or whether actual in-person human interaction is necessary to overcome feelings of loneliness. In a sense, technology can be both a blessing and a curse when it comes to loneliness. For many, tech innovations can open up an array of opportunities for older adults to connect with family, friends, and even strangers with common interests. Whether through video chatting, online classes, or virtual social meet-ups, technology can be a lifeline if properly embraced. For those who lack the mobility to meet up in person or in some other way are limited in their ability to connect with others, technology can be a wonderful source of interaction and companionship. Technology can also be an instrument for creating opportunities for lonely strangers to find common ground together. For example, a tech health company called Wisdo uses AI technology to allow lonely individuals with similar experiences to come together to support each other online and receive coaching about finding healthy habits to deal with their loneliness. Wisdo has now even connected with TalkSpace to improve the opportunity for online mental health support for older lonely adults.

Yet, at the same time, there is a darker side to reliance on technology as a source of stimulation and connection. Whether you are left with lonely feelings comparing yourself to others on social media, or find yourself down internet rabbit holes that allow you to avoid human connection, technology can also amplify feelings of loneliness and even lead you into troubling “relationships,” especially as the use of artificial intelligence opens up an array of distortions about what it means to find companionship and connection in this modern era.

So what about meeting people “in real life”? Common suggestions for this include volunteering, taking classes, joining a house of worship or getting a pet, and meeting people at the dog park. But some other novel ideas are sprouting to allow people to address their loneliness in the real world. One interesting project that’s just getting started is called Project Gather. Founded under the auspices of Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, a pioneer in highlighting the challenge of loneliness among citizens in the US, this new, privately funded initiative is intended to bring people together over sharing a meal and has even published a “hosting guide,” called “Recipes for Connection,” to help launch these community potluck meals. Another idea for creating connection over food and combating loneliness was recently highlighted by NPR, which described the German habit of Stammtisch, which brings people together at a bar or restaurant on a regular basis just to share in each other’s company. Finally, the concept of “social prescriptions” is gaining ground as a way for the healthcare system to combat loneliness. Massachusetts has become the first state to pilot the idea of a social prescription that provides ways for people to participate in cultural events or other in-person opportunities, as a way of lifting moods, addressing mental health, and even reducing loneliness, rather than prescribing medication or some other therapy. A recent article in Next Avenue discusses the value of such social prescriptions for lonely adults and describes a particular volunteer organization that connects military vets with weekly phone calls as a way to address loneliness and social isolation. If your own primary care provider doesn’t yet prescribe a social connection for you or other older patients, take it upon yourself to introduce the concept, and perhaps by taking the initiative, you’ll make some valuable human connections of your own.