Canada’s National Seniors Council released “Who’s at risk and what can be done about it? A review of the literature on the social isolation of different groups of seniors” in 2018.

Since then, and especially during the pandemic, social isolation has come to light as a problem for seniors and others.  It’s estimated up to 16 per cent of seniors experience social isolation (Statistics Canada, 2010).

Data from the Canadian Community Health Survey, a study with a range of social isolation indicators, provide an overall sense of the magnitude of the problem (Statistics Canada, 2010).

These findings suggest a significant portion of seniors experience social isolation in a variety ways. The impact of social isolation is no less significant. Substantial literature has demonstrated loneliness and social isolation are recognized as risk factors for poor health and reduced wellbeing – and social isolation is significantly and independently related to health status and various quality-of-life indicators (Hawton et al., 2011).

Conversely, Canadians with more family and friend supports are more likely to be in very good physical and mental health (Sinha, 2014), and individuals with strong social relationships are more likely to live longer than individuals with poor social relations (Holt Lunstad et al., 2015). In one systematic review, researchers claim nearly all studies found a detrimental effect of isolation or loneliness on health.

Health risks associated with isolation and loneliness have been compared to the well-established detrimental effects of smoking and obesity (Courtin and Knapp, 2014).

Indeed, one researcher has suggested social isolation can be equivalent to smoking 15 cigarettes a day in terms of health consequences (Wilson, 2015). The most commonly studied health outcome association with isolation was depression, followed by cardiovascular health and wellbeing/quality of life. Loneliness is associated with higher levels of cortisol, changes with immune response, disrupted sleep, increased risk of heart attacks (Bolton, 2012; Courtin and Knapp, 2014), and stroke (Bohic, 2012). Loneliness and isolation are associated with poorer cognitive function among older adults (Shankar et al., 2013), and can increase the likelihood of falls (Do et al., 2015).

In a review of the literature on suicide prevention among seniors, Saïas et al. (2013) found isolation is a major risk factor associated with suicide among seniors, who already have a higher suicide rate than younger age groups. In addition to the health impacts, there’s recognized economic and social implications of isolation.

Read the full report at www.canada.ca/en/national-seniors-council To discuss ways that you can get involved to reduce social isolation call Community Care at 613-476-7493.