Growing old alone: More seniors at risk of becoming elder orphans - Chicago Tribune

Growing old alone: More seniors at risk of becoming elder orphans - Chicago Tribune: The term "elder orphans" was coined in part by Dr. Maria Torroella Carney, chief of geriatrics and palliative medicine at Northwell Health in New Hyde Park, N.Y., who co-wrote a July analysis on adults increasingly aging alone, with multiple chronic illnesses and geographically distant family and friends. By referring to these seniors as orphans, Carney hopes to bring awareness to their loneliness and isolation, which correlates with increased risk of heart disease and mortality.
Elderly with no nearby family to help them need safety net, experts say

Last month, the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging and AARP launched a national education campaign to address the growing problem of loneliness, estimating that 1 in 5 people older than 50 are affected by isolation, which is associated with higher rates of chronic disease, depression, dementia and death. Research finds prolonged isolation to have an equal effect on health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day, AARP President Lisa Marsh Ryerson said in a news release.

Finding A Hobby - Activities for Seniors

Finding A Hobby - Activities for Seniors: Finding A Hobby
Activities For Seniors

Finding a hobby (a new one?) just right for you can give you a lifetime of enjoyment, far into your retirement years. The main thing to consider is what do you really like? Not what your family tree or best friend thinks you should like - It is for you!

Do you think you’re not very good at anything? If that sounds like you, here are questions to ask yourself about what you’ve really wanted to do.

If you’re still working, now is the time to develop a hobby and to plan for future senior activities.

The New Aging Dilemma, Growing Older At Home Alone | HuffPost

The New Aging Dilemma, Growing Older At Home Alone | HuffPost



 
Carol Marak, ContributorAging Alone Advocate, Columnist, and Editor at Seniorcare.com

Worries of Those Alone

Some of the worrisome concerns discussed in the group and handled by members:

• Ageism — just because we’re growing older, doesn’t mean we should give up on aging well. We desire recognition for our strengths and given a chance to offer our skills and to give back and be a productive member of society.
• How to remain healthy without resorting to medication or surgery — we would enjoy learning alternatives to going under the knife or consuming various meds.
• Find out how others cope with issues and create one’s solutions — we want to hear how others deal with challenges; what worked for them and then decide if it’s a good fit for us. And if the solution is not a fit, what other options might work?
• Discover useful local and national resources — we’d like to learn about community services, especially the ones that help us age in place. We don’t have advocates or family members who can research for us, so, we depend on others for direction.
• Navigate health, care issues, and chronic illnesses - we want to thrive and be well even when living with diabetes, dementia, heart diseases, cancer and other diseases.
• Gain social interaction — our toughest challenge. Most of us want connection and to make new friends but have difficulty leaving our house due to immobility concerns.
• Select a health care proxy and surrogate - we need help and direction when choosing someone to speak on our behalf if we should become too ill or incapacitated.

These topics are a few of what the group addresses, plus a few more. Most of us are not health care professionals, so the practical tips and advice come through other’s experiences.

However, at the local community-based services and medical teams, the professionals can do so much more. Just recognizing the fact that we’re living alone, and then assess the risks, would help the older person understand what’s needed to remain safe, healthy, and independent even when no one is around to check on us.

In recent medical research about elder orphans, geriatricians found several risks that affect the elderly:

Social support

Low social support affects the physical and psychological health and in some instances, will increase mortality. A decreased social interaction stems from little support which correlates with depressed affect and arousal, reduced cognitive and social skills, and altered mental functioning.

And for some members of the Facebook group, it’s their only source of social interaction and connection. While for others, they make great strides to maintain face to face interconnections and build friendships. But overall, social detachment is a huge concern.

Isolation and loneliness

Isolation is the state of having minimal contact with others. Even though being isolated can cause loneliness, both are not equal, and both are the risk factor for a physical and cognitive decline.

The online activity that some members find on Facebook is their only source of communications and reaching out to other people. It’s not one’s preference to be alone all the time, but the physical immobility is their greatest burden that keeps them in the house.

Childlessness

It is an important risk factor for social isolation. Like the study mentioned earlier, childless adults often do have support networks, usually consisting of relatives, friends, and neighbors. However, these systems are less likely to provide the long-term commitment and comparable high level of support that children give to parents.

Most members of the group do not have children, but for those who do, they’ve lost communication with the family, they live a long distance away, or they’re forgotten.

Services needed

Community-based aging resource centers and senior organizations must have goals that assist with our medical, functional, social, and safety needs.

• Help prevent hospital admissions and help us understand how to avoid them
• How to create advanced directives and choose a reliable, and trusted health care surrogate
• Teach elder abuse education and where to find support and help
• Show how to create a care plan far in advance of needing acute care
• Instruct how to build a personal care team of friends we can count on
• Give us options and ways to build social connections and help us avoid isolation
• Help us find transportation when needed

It is challenging for clinicians and social services and even the patients who live alone. But when recognized and assessed properly, the aging singles have potential to struggle less with managing health conditions and the complexities involved in care.