The Loneliness Burden

For America’s seniors, loneliness is becoming far too common, and it has serious consequences for their health and the health care system.

More than 40 percent of seniors regularly experience loneliness, according to a University of California, San Francisco study. Loneliness is associated with high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, a weakened immune system, anxiety, depression, cognitive decline, increased risk of heart attack and stroke, and even death. The health risks of loneliness have been compared to those associated with smoking 15 cigarettes a day. The cost to the health care system, and therefore all of us, is staggering. Medicare spends an estimated $6.7 billion annually on medical costs that can be attributed to social isolation.

We are a mobile society, with an increasing trend of families living farther apart. Older adults with one or more adult children live, on average, more than 280 miles from their nearest child. But, even for those older adults with family close by, loneliness is prevalent. Family caregivers may be juggling their own careers, health concerns, day-to-day family responsibilities as well as caregiving duties with little time or energy left to connect with an elderly family member on a meaningful emotional and personal level.

Home care can help.

At Home Care Book, all of our caregivers have a calling to do this work. They understand how essential it is for older individuals to have valuable, meaningful relationships. They enjoy spending time with our clients and getting to know them – their histories, their fears, their interests, their thoughts, and their stories. Our caregivers bring joy and connection to our clients.

The cure for loneliness is relationship. Home Care Book’s professional and compassionate caregivers are a vital part of the solution to our nation’s loneliness epidemic.

To get started with professional, compassionate in-home care, contact us for a free quote or call 214-377-0711 today.