The Hidden Epidemic, Why Loneliness in Later Life Deserves Our Attention

 Loneliness affects millions of older adults across North America, often quietly, often painfully. Yet it’s not an inevitable part of ageing. Discover why loneliness has become a public health issue and how community connection can change the story.

When Mike retired, she expected his days to feel full, more reading, more gardening, and more time with friends. But as the months went by, his calendar grew quieter. Friends moved away, family became busier, and the house that once felt cozy now felt empty.

Mike’s story is more common than we think. Across North America, millions of older adults are living with loneliness, often quietly, and often with serious consequences.

In Canada, nearly 1 in 5 seniors (19.2%) report feeling lonely, while 43% of adults aged 50 and older are at risk of social isolation. In the United States, about one-third of adults aged 50–80 say they feel lonely at least some of the time.

The World Health Organization has called loneliness a global public health concern, warning that its impact on health can be as harmful as smoking or obesity. It raises the risk of depression, dementia, and even heart disease.

But loneliness is not inevitable. Across Canada and the U.S., senior centres and retirement living communities are showing what’s possible when connection becomes part of daily life. They offer friendship, purpose, laughter, and a sense of belonging, things that are just as important to health as diet and exercise.

No one should age alone. In the next part of the series, I will explore what the world’s longest-living communities can teach us about belonging, and how those lessons can transform life right here at home.

Could retirement living communities tackle later-life loneliness?

Loneliness is often called the “silent epidemic.” Though it can affect anyone, older adults are especially vulnerable. Extended loneliness increases risks of depression, dementia, and heart disease.

In Canada, nearly 20 % of seniors 65 and over reported feeling lonely in 2019-2020. In the U.S., about one-third of adults aged 50-80 say they feel lonely at least some of the time. These aren’t small numbers, they point to something urgent.

Retirement communities and senior centres are in a unique position to help combat the issue which is a problem for many. Here are some stats to show how widespread the problem is in Canada, and the USA.

In Canada, about 19.2 % of older adults aged 65+ reported feeling lonely in 2019-2020. Statistics Canada

More generally in Canada, 43 % of people aged 50+ are at risk of social isolation, and up to 59 % have experienced loneliness. Government of Canada

In the United States, recent data (aged 50-80) show about 33-34 % of older adults feel lonely some or often in the past year. JAMA Network+2University of Michigan Health+2

On social isolation in the U.S., roughly 29 % of people age 50-80 report feeling isolated “some of the time or often.” healthyagingpoll.org+1

These figures suggest that loneliness and isolation are widespread among older adults in North America, not just the UK.

In the posts that follow, I will explore what the world’s longest-living communities can teach us about belonging, how shared activities bring people together, and how independence and connection can exist side by side.

Stories: pass your legacy on.

 Now it’s your turn to pass that legacy on.

Think of the questions they might have one day: What was it like growing up then? How did you and grandpa meet? What was your first job? What was the biggest risk you ever took? Your stories are the answers they will treasure long after you are gone. You are the keeper of a unique history that no one else can tell.

You don’t have to be a professional writer or storyteller. Start small. Pick a moment that made you proud, or one that changed you. Maybe it’s the day you learned to drive, your first job, your wedding day, a trip that surprised you, or a lesson that came the hard way. Tell it the way you remember it, in your own words. Don’t worry about perfect grammar or whether the story has a “point.” Just speak from the heart.

If writing feels daunting, there are other ways to capture your memories. You can record yourself speaking into your phone or computer, or ask a friend or family member to interview you. You might even turn your stories into short videos. Imagine your grandchildren years from now hearing your voice or seeing your face as you talk about your life, the laughter, the sparkle in your eyes, the way you pause before saying something wise or funny. Those moments will mean more to them than you can imagine.

And remember, stories aren’t just about the past. They can also help you shape your future. Reflecting on your life can bring clarity, healing, and inspiration. It can remind you of the strengths that carried you through hard times and the joys that made life beautiful. Sharing those reflections might even encourage someone else who’s facing their own crossroads.

So, take the time. Tell the stories of your life, the triumphs and the stumbles, the surprises and the lessons, the laughter and the love. Capture them while they’re fresh in your heart and mind.

You’ve lived through times of remarkable change, seen the world evolve, and adapted in ways that future generations can learn from. Your story is not just a record of the past—it’s a roadmap for resilience, courage, and hope.

Start today. Write it down. Record it. Share it. Your life is a novel only you can write, filled with chapters of adventure, love, learning, and growth. Don’t let it go untold. Share your laughter, your lessons, your heart. Give your family the gift of your story, the whole, beautiful, authentic story of you. They are waiting to listen.

Let your story live on, not only as a memory, but as an inspiration. Because no one else can tell it quite like you.

Strories we love stoires

You may have noticed a variation on a theme in the last few posts. Stories. We love stories. They are how we understand the world and one another. When we hear a story that is persuasive, we take notice. It lingers. It connects us. Each of us finds different aspects of a story compelling, courage, humor, resilience, kindness, and that is why I’ve tried different approaches to the themes that I thought were interesting and important over the last few days.

We all want to be the heroes or heroines of our own story, which is only natural. After all, each of us has faced moments of challenge, triumph, and change. But when we look back on our lives, we sometimes tend to tidy up the details a little. We gloss over mistakes, minimize disappointments, and rearrange events so we come out looking a bit better in the telling. That’s understandable, who wouldn’t want to highlight their proudest moments?

Still, it’s important not to change or omit too much of the narrative. The person you are today is the sum of everything that came before, both the moments when you were the hero or heroine, and those when you played a supporting role in someone else’s story. Those supporting roles, the ones that may not have seemed important at the time, often hold deep meaning for others. The friend you encouraged, the family member you forgave, the time you showed up when it mattered most, all of these moments weave together to form the full story of you. The person we are today is a result of all the events in our lives, even those where we stumbled and fell.

Your story isn’t just about what happened; it’s about what you learned, how you felt, and how you grew. It’s about how you kept going when life threw challenges your way. And it’s about what you found joy in, big or small, along the way.

Memories are more than nostalgia. They are the threads that connect generations. They help us make sense of who we were, who we are, and who we are becoming. When you share your stories, you offer your family, and the wider world, a precious gift. Your children and grandchildren want to know who you were before they knew you. They want to understand where they come from, and how your choices, values, and dreams helped shape their lives too. For your children, grandchildren, and even great-grandchildren, your life narrative is a precious inheritance. Your story is their origin story. In a world that moves at a dizzying pace, your stories provide them with an anchor, a sense of belonging, history, and identity that they can carry forward

Think of the stories your grandparents or parents told you, the ones that stuck with you long after the conversation ended. Maybe it was about how they met, how they got through tough times, or a funny misadventure from years gone by. These stories don’t just entertain us; they root us. They remind us that we come from people who lived fully, who loved, who persevered.

Now it’s your turn to pass that legacy on.