Study: Loneliness Could Drive Doctors’ Visits

Experiences of loneliness and social isolation can lead to increased health care use among seniors, according to research from the University of Georgia College of Public Health and published online in the American Journal of Public Health. The study found that the frequency of physician visits was particularly influenced by chronic loneliness, and suggests that the identification and targeting of interventions for lonely elders may significantly decrease physician visits and health care costs.
 

“We often assume that if a person has enough friends and relatives they are doing OK,” noted study co-author Kerstin Gerst Emerson, an assistant professor of health policy and management.

“But loneliness is not the same as being alone. You can be lonely in a crowded room. It's very much about how you feel about your actual social relationships.”

If you get an idea that you or an aging loved one could, in fact, benefit from companionship, why not encourage her to become more active by taking up a hobby or joining a book or card club. Or, if getting out or health doesn’t permit that, perhaps try  inviting friends over for coffee or tea, or hosting a book or other hobby club. How about a movie night?

For more information about the research, visit http://ugaresearch.uga.edu/research-news/hidden-costs-of-loneliness/.

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