Loneliness affects many people, especially seniors who live alone. New research coming from the University of Chicago shows that loneliness can play a major role in increasing an individual’s blood pressure. Our current senior care system focuses on providing care once there is a need, and this care is usually addressing a physical problem that is going unmet. More and more research is now showing that there are many factors in living a long, healthy life. This most recent study validates what we have been saying for a long time now, that social factors are very important and need to be addressed with seniors.
What was interesting with this study was that depression and stress did not have much of an affect on blood pressure, but loneliness did. The blood pressure increase attributable to loneliness didn’t show up until two years into the study and continued to increase until four years later, the researchers said. They reported that the loneliest people in the study registered blood pressure increases 14.4 millimeters of mercury higher than the blood pressure of the most socially contented participants. The study was published in the March, 2010, issue of Psychology and Aging.
Addressing loneliness can be very easy, as long as it is counted as part of the overall plan of health. Focusing on a senior’s interests and providing them with assistance to participate in activities they enjoy as well as communicating with loved ones can go a long way in contributing to better overall health.
What was interesting with this study was that depression and stress did not have much of an affect on blood pressure, but loneliness did. The blood pressure increase attributable to loneliness didn’t show up until two years into the study and continued to increase until four years later, the researchers said. They reported that the loneliest people in the study registered blood pressure increases 14.4 millimeters of mercury higher than the blood pressure of the most socially contented participants. The study was published in the March, 2010, issue of Psychology and Aging.
Addressing loneliness can be very easy, as long as it is counted as part of the overall plan of health. Focusing on a senior’s interests and providing them with assistance to participate in activities they enjoy as well as communicating with loved ones can go a long way in contributing to better overall health.