22 percent of Millennial's say they have “no friends”

I was aware of the issue of loneliness and how dangerous it is to the health and well being of our senior population. In fact, I am on a team looking at the issue of isolation and loneliness in my city. However, I was not aware that loneliness was an issue among Millennials until I read the following article by Brian Resnick Aug 1, 2019. For the full article go here, 

Today, members of the millennial generation are ages 23 to 38. These ought to be prime years of careers taking off and starting families before joints really begin to ache. Yet as a recent poll and some corresponding research indicate, there’s something missing for many in this generation: companionship.

A recent poll from YouGov, a polling firm and market research company, found that 30 percent of millennials say they feel lonely. This is the highest percentage of all the generations surveyed.

Furthermore, 22 percent of millennials in the poll said they had zero friends. Twenty-seven percent said they had “no close friends,” 30 percent said they have “no best friends,” and 25 percent said they have no acquaintances. (I wonder if the poll respondents have differing thoughts on what “acquaintance” means; I take it to mean “people you interact with now and then.”)

In comparison, just 16 percent of Gen Xers and 9 percent of baby boomers say they have no friends.

The poll, which looked at 1,254 adults 18 and up, did not report results for the up-and-coming Gen Z (who report high levels of loneliness on other surveys), or for the oldest adults in the country. And we should note: Loneliness tends to increase markedly after age 75; social isolation among the elderly remains a huge problem that will only grow worse as baby boomers age. So perhaps it’s not the case that millennials are the loneliest of all.

  

If this generation is truly lonelier, that’s concerning for a number of reasons: Research shows that loneliness tends to increase as we get older. What will happen to millennials, who are already reporting high levels of loneliness, when they reach old age?

But while there may be something particular happening with millennials, it’s also possible loneliness naturally ebbs and flows throughout life.  In 1990 a meta-analysis (a study of studies), which included data on 25,000 people, found that “loneliness was highest among young adults, declined over midlife, and increased modestly in old age.”

More recently, in a 2016 paper, researchers in Germany found a peak of loneliness in a sample of 16,000 Germans at around age 30, another around age 50, and then increasing again at age 80.

The bigger point, she said, was “researchers have ignored that loneliness can happen at any time.”

And that’s important. Because loneliness is bad for our health.

Loneliness is associated with higher blood pressure and heart disease — it literally breaks our hearts. A 2015 meta-review of 70 studies showed that loneliness increases the risk of dying by 26 percent. (Compare that to depression and anxiety, which is associated with a comparable 21 percent increase in mortality.) There’s evidence that chronic loneliness can turn on genes involved with inflammation, which can be a risk factor for heart disease and cancer.

Make no mistake: We need the stress. We need some amount of loneliness. The pain of loneliness is a reminder that we are social creatures who need other people. It’s also important to recognize that loneliness isn’t the same as having a few friends. It’s the perceived social isolation that harms us. We can certainly have fulfilling, protective relationships with just a few people.

“As long as we then do what we should do — reconnect with people — then loneliness is a good thing,” Luhmann said. “It becomes a bad thing when it becomes chronic. That’s when the health effects kick in. And it becomes harder and harder to connect with other people the longer you are in the state of loneliness.”

Phases of Retirement Phase 3

The third stage of retirement is the Dependent Stage. The Dependent Phase of later life is associated with:

•                More severe physical declines and limitations, which may limit individuals in this phase from continued independent living. 12% of those aged 80 and over live in residential and nursing homes. Half (47%) of those in the Dependent Phase says that their health prevents them from doing the things they would like to do.

•                A significantly increased risk of experiencing accelerated cognitive decline as the probability of suffering dementia increases with age. One in three people aged 95 and older suffer from dementia, compared to one in six aged over 80 and one in fourteen aged over 65.97

•                High risk of loneliness and other experiences of adverse mental and emotional wellbeing. 14% of people in the Dependent Phase say they lack companionship, feel isolated from others or feel lonely often.

•                High risk of social exclusion as severe physical limitations inhibit individuals from actively engaging with their community, as well as accessing basic services. Around one in five people in the Dependent Phase find it difficult or even impossible to access basic services such as banks, shops and GPs.

People in the Dependent Phase have at least one severe physical limitation. During this phase, risks especially during the Decline Phase increase further. While transitioning into the Dependent Phase does not necessarily mean that an individual will have to move into a care facility, they are likely to need substantial support if they are to continue living independently, as well as being protected from increased risk of social isolation.

Phases of Retirement Phase 2

The second stage of retirement is the Decline Phase. People in the Decline Phase have at least one mild physical limitation. During this phase, people become more likely to experience declines in physical and cognitive health. They are also more likely to experience declines in mental health as a result of increased risk of bereavement, isolation and dependence from a Partner for the provision of care

The Decline Phase of later life is associated with:

•                Declines in physical health, though less severe than those associated with the Dependent Phase.

•                Increased risk of accelerated cognitive declines, though again less severe than those associated with the Dependent Phase.

•                Less freedom and control over how time is spent, as physical limitations begin to reduce people’s ability to engage with more strenuous activities. Poor health, low incomes and competing demands such as caring responsibilities can be a barrier to many older people accessing the benefits of pursuing positive retirement activities, particularly as they transition into the Decline and Dependent Phases.

•                Increased likelihood of losing a spouse or partner, which can lead to declines in mental and emotional wellbeing, loneliness and further physical declines, particularly if not adequately prepared for this loss.

Once individuals’ transition into the Decline Phase, they could benefit from support in maintaining physical health and where possible slowing declines in order to protect them from the more severe risks present in the Dependent Phase.

Phases of Retirement Phase 1

As we move through the three phases of retirement there are three broad categories that are considered, in the National Framework on Aging, as the three “pillars of seniors’ wellness”. They are:

1)      Health, wellness and security, which includes health and wellness, safety and security and income security

2)      Continuous learning, work and participation in society, which includes work and retirement, age discrimination and negative stereotypes, social participation and ethnocultural diversity.

3)      Supporting and caring in the community, which includes living arrangements, transportation, social isolation and loneliness, family/informal caregiving and seniors in Northern/remote Canada

In each phase, we, as a society have to provide, at a minimum the above three pillars to help seniors to live independent and full lives.

As we go through retirement there are three phases that have been identified. The first is the independent phase, people in this phase have minimal physical limitations and good health. During this phase, people are generally more able to engage with retirement activities that can have positive impacts on their physical and mental health. Some people in the Independent Phase are less able to access its benefits, in particular people with low levels of savings and income, and women, who are more likely to be careers.

Because the Independent Phase is associated with more positive later life experiences, older people could benefit from support with remaining in this stage for as long as possible. If they remain active, people who retire into the Independent Phase can experience improvements in physical health, which can, in turn, elongate their time in the Independent Phase. People retiring into the Independent, Phase can also experience improvements in mental and emotional wellbeing, particularly if they are able to engage in positive leisure activities and more structured activities such as volunteering, which those in the Decline and Dependent Phases may be less able to engage with due to physical limitations.