Health & Fitness
Not just 'holiday blues': Survey says NC seniors feel lonely, isolated
North Carolina seniors are more likely to experience loneliness than their peers nationwide, according to a study by Alignment Health
(RALEIGH, N.C.) — Holidays can be particularly hard for socially isolated seniors and can take a toll on their mental and physical health, but the problem isn’t limited to winter months.
A recent survey by Medicare Advantage company Alignment Health found that North Carolina seniors rank loneliness in their top two social barriers to health and wellness in the next year, behind economic instability.
Alignment undertook the benchmark 2022 Social Threats to Aging Well study to explore the top social barriers for seniors, polling more than 2,600 adults ages 65 and older across the U.S. and in select states, including North Carolina. They found that seniors are lonelier now than they were a year ago, and many won’t have consistent companionship or in-home support in the next year.
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North Carolina seniors are more likely to experience loneliness and isolation in the next year than their peers nationwide, according to the survey, with 21% saying they won’t have consistent companionship or in-home support, compared to 19% nationally.
Survey respondents spoke to the isolation they feel:
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“I am pretty much housebound … It makes me very lonely at times,” one senior wrote.
“I am on a fixed income, no car and no companionship other than my pets for weeks on end,” another stated.
Nationwide, the Alignment survey found that 13% of seniors go a month or more without spending time with family, friends or others — if ever. In North Carolina, that rate is higher at 16.5%.
Feelings of isolation and grief can be amplified during the holidays. Throw a trifecta of record-breaking respiratory viruses into the mix, and some people may be more overwhelmed than ever this holiday season.
This can manifest in many ways, according to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS), from sadness, low motivation and a lack of energy to physical problems like arthritis pain or worsening headaches.
The NCDHHS suggests seniors stay physically and socially active with exercise, good sleep, a healthy diet, and participating in activities they enjoy, such as volunteering, taking care of a pet, learning a new skill and creating opportunities to laugh.
Anyone experiencing a mental health crisis this holiday season or year-round is urged to call NCDHHS’s HOPE4NC at 855-587-3463 or text "hope" to 855-587-3463.
