Isolation / Loneliness

With mounting research, it’s becoming abundantly clear that older adults who feel lonely not only suffer deep distress at their lack of social connection, but also suffer significant physical and cognitive consequences. As families become smaller and more dispersed, people live longer, and older adults often outlive loved ones and…

Given the difficulties in the US housing market, it’s quite remarkable that close to 80% of older adults own their own homes, and about ¾ of those homeowners do so without carrying a mortgage. That’s a remarkable statistic about money and wealth among baby boomers, but it also underscores why…

Almost everyone has had the experience of losing a friend as they’ve gotten older. Whether due to death, disease, moving, or just a lost relationship, friendships often fade away as we get on in years. And while we know that social engagement and social connections are critical for maintaining our…

Did you hear? May is Better Hearing Month, a good time to review what we know about hearing loss and how research is opening new opportunities to address a condition affecting millions of older adults in the US and worldwide. Age-related hearing loss (presbycusis) affects more than 65% of people…

Starting a romantic relationship can be challenging, regardless of your age. But when you’re an older adult, perhaps dealing with the loss of a prior relationship or partner, perhaps out of touch with modern dating etiquette, it can be a minefield of missteps and uncertainty. Yet, as the population ages…

The novelist Thomas Wolfe once wrote, “Loneliness is and always has been the central and inevitable experience of every man.” While that may be true, and many, if not most of us, experience loneliness at some point in our lives, that doesn’t mean it’s an easy experience or one without…