A survey byAARP Foundationfinds that those who have low income are especially vulnerable.
Nearly half of midlife and older adults with annual incomes of less than $25,000 report being lonely.
A full 10 million people over the age of 50 live in poverty in the United States.
Researchers used the UCLA Loneliness Scale, calculated from a battery of 20 questions, to measure loneliness.
Top predictors of loneliness: size and diversity of an individuals social web connection and being physically isolated.
Other contributing factors include age, depression, urbanicity, anxiety and overall health.
The results indicate loneliness has approximately the same incidence across race and ethnicity.
New in this years study is the finding that LGBTQ status plays a role in loneliness.
For unpaid caregivers, the loneliness gap is 8 percentage points higher than non-caregivers.
Also new in this years study is the finding that getting to know ones neighbors can help reduce loneliness.
Importantly, feelings of loneliness usually do not stem from one single event.
The Social Media Age
Social media use among midlife and older adults has more than tripled since 2010.
Yet social media does not necessarily curb social isolation.
Moving later in life can have negative social implications.
By contrast, 40 percent of adults who have relocated in the past 10 years are considered lonely.
Connectedness With Age
When it comes to loneliness, what can midlife and older people expect as they age?
Controlling for all other variables, AARP finds that loneliness goes down as people get older.
Respondents surveyed in their 40s and 50s were more likely to be lonely than those over age 60.
Funding for the study was provided by AARP Foundation and Consumer Cellular.
For more information contact Colette Thayer atcthayer@aarp.org.
For media inquiries contactmedia@aarp.org.
