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More than 16 million Americans who are 65 or older are living alone, but the depth of their experiences is largely unknown. This is according to a recent story published by KFF Health News.
“This slice of the older population has significant health issues: Nearly 4 in 10 seniors living alone have vision or hearing loss, difficulty caring for themselves and living independently, problems with cognition, or other disabilities, according to a KFF analysis of 2022 census data,” the story explained.
These challenges can also be compounded by a lacking supply of care providers for a cohort that is electing to age in place. This can also create mental and physical health challenges for seniors.
“Studies find that seniors on their own are at higher risk of becoming isolated, depressed, and inactive, having accidents, and neglecting to care for themselves,” the story stated. “As a result, they tend to be hospitalized more often and suffer earlier-than-expected deaths.
“Getting medical services can be a problem, especially if older adults living alone reside in rural areas or don’t drive. Too often, experts observe, health care providers don’t ask about older adults’ living situations and are unaware of the challenges they face.”
Based on a series of conversations with older adults who explained their situations while living alone, the nature of aging in place without help can either be a choice or a situation foisted upon them by circumstance. The most common circumstance, according to the story, is the death of a spouse.
Eric Klinenberg, a sociology professor at New York University, said that this is also driven by an accelerating trend of what he calls “intimacy at a distance.” It’s the idea of keeping close ties with family that are not “not too close.”
Based on the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2023 Current Population Survey, nearly one-third (28%) of the 65-and-older population lives alone. Of these 16 million people, more women (10 million) than men (6 million) live by themselves. This does not include seniors who live in congregate care settings.
The trend has been accelerating significantly. Based on data from 1950, roughly 10% of seniors lived alone then, the story explained.
A recent study commissioned by AARP, which compared data from 2018 to 2023, found that older adults are being depicted more positively online. Negative sentiment in online media and marketing images dropped from 28% to 10% during the five-year period, the study found.
To combat the potential for isolation, some companies and local governments have employed smart-home technology to perform assistive tasks for older people. And academic researchers have also helped to develop smart-home technology platforms for such a purpose.
