Why social time matters for seniors

Loneliness and isolation aren’t the same

The National Institute on Aging describes loneliness as the distressing feeling of being alone or separated, and social isolation as having few people to interact with regularly. The two often go together, but not always. Someone can live alone and feel content, or feel lonely in a busy house.

How common it is

A 2020 report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine found that about 24 percent of Americans aged 65 and older who live in the community are socially isolated, and that 43 percent of adults aged 60 and older report feeling lonely. Across all ages, the CDC estimates that about 1 in 3 U.S. adults report feeling lonely.

Why it matters for health

Researchers have found strong links between isolation and health. The National Academies report found that social isolation was associated with about a 50 percent higher risk of dementia, and that poor social relationships were associated with a 29 percent higher risk of heart disease and a 32 percent higher risk of stroke. The U.S. Surgeon General’s 2023 advisory on loneliness and isolation compared the effect of lacking social connection on early death to smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day.

The National Institute on Aging adds that loneliness and isolation are linked to high blood pressure, weakened immune function, anxiety, depression and cognitive decline, and that people who are lonely may exercise less and sleep poorly. In 2024, an international commission on dementia counted social isolation in later life among 14 risk factors that may be changeable.

These findings come from studies of large groups. They show links, not certainties, and they can’t predict what will happen to any one person. If you’re worried about someone’s mood or memory, talk with their doctor.

What raises the risk

Age alone isn’t the cause. The National Institute on Aging lists changes that can make isolation more likely, including:

• hearing or vision problems
• memory or thinking problems
• trouble getting around, or not being able to leave home without help
• living alone, or having no transportation
• a major change, such as the death of a spouse or retirement
• caring for a loved one who is unwell

Hearing deserves a special mention. NIA notes that older people who can’t hear well may withdraw from conversation, and are sometimes wrongly thought to be confused. If hearing is a concern, talk with a doctor.

What helps

The National Institute on Aging suggests staying active and connecting with others: finding an activity you enjoy, picking up an old hobby, keeping in touch with family, friends and neighbors, and volunteering. It notes that people who take part in meaningful activities they enjoy with others “feel a sense of purpose and tend to live longer.”

For someone who no longer drives or can’t plan outings on their own, a social day program is one practical option. New York’s Office for the Aging lists reducing social isolation among the aims of social adult day services, along with support and respite for caregivers.

Research on day programs and loneliness is still growing. In a conference report on 563 older adults attending adult day health programs in New York City, regular attendance was linked with fewer reports of loneliness over time (Mak and colleagues, 2019). Those programs also provide medical services, so the result doesn’t isolate the social side. A 2024 article in Frontiers in Public Health described adult day services as a potential antidote to social isolation and loneliness.

Social time at TrueCare

TrueCare grew out of this idea. After nine years of caring for seniors one on one, our founder Carol Bottiglieri realized that more needed to be done to socialize the elderly, and that led to TrueCare. We serve the elderly, especially those with dementia and Alzheimer’s, at our programs in Massapequa and Seaford. Read more in our guide to adult day care for dementia and Alzheimer’s.

The day is spent in company: chair yoga and leg exercises, current events, music with “Name that Tune” and sing-alongs, trivia and crafts, with a healthy breakfast, a daily snack and beverages. There’s also a reading area and a lounge with recliners and a large-screen television for quieter moments. See what the morning half day includes.

Sessions run Monday to Friday: mornings from 8 AM to 1 PM, afternoons from 1 to 6 PM, or a full day from 8 AM to 6 PM. On Saturdays there’s a half day from 11 AM to 4 PM. We accept full-time and part-time clients.

Questions families ask

Sources

1. National Institute on Aging. Loneliness and social isolation: tips for staying connected.
2. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. Social isolation and loneliness in older adults: opportunities for the health care system. 2020.
3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Health effects of social isolation and loneliness.
4. Office of the U.S. Surgeon General. Our epidemic of loneliness and isolation. 2023.
5. Livingston G and colleagues. Dementia prevention, intervention, and care: 2024 report of the Lancet standing Commission. The Lancet, 2024.
6. New York State Office for the Aging. Social adult day services.
7. Mak W, Burack OR, Reinhardt JP. Adult day health services attendance is linked to a reduction in loneliness. Innovation in Aging, 2019 (conference abstract).
8. Sadarangani T, Fernandez Cajavilca M, Qi X, Zagorski W. Adult day services: a potential antidote to social isolation and loneliness in marginalized older adults. Frontiers in Public Health, 2024.
9. Alzheimer’s Association. Adult day centers.