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Care of the Older Person

Loneliness in older adults

02 February 2024
Care of the Older Person
02 February 2024
Volume 29 · Issue 2

Abstract

This article aims to provide an overview on loneliness in older people, with an emphasis on how insights from this body of literature can significantly contribute to the enhancement of care provided by community nurses. This review aims to provide a nuanced understanding of the factors contributing to loneliness, its impact on the physical and mental health of older individuals, and the role community nurses can play in mitigating and addressing loneliness.

With the world population rapidly ageing (Reis da Silva, 2023a), it is important to encourage older individuals to age in their own homes. A strong community nursing service can impact all dimensions of an ageing population, such as the physical, psychological, emotional, social and community (Reis da Silva, 2023b). As indicated by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) (2020), the average percentage of the population aged 65 years and over is considerably lower for cities than other types of local authority, making community nursing key to supporting older adults (Reis da Silva, 2023b).

Chronic loneliness is a growing problem faced by the ageing population. Approximately 1.4 million older adults in the UK are lonely, with a further 1.9 million stating they often feel ignored and invisible in their day-to-day life (Age UK, 2018). Adults aged 65 years and over are a population group particularly vulnerable to both loneliness and social isolation. According to the NHS, over one million older adults indicate that they do not speak to a family member, friend or neighbour for over a month (NHS England, 2022).

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Loneliness
district nursing
community nursing services
ageing population