Correlates of Objective Social Isolation from Family and Friends among Older Adults

Abstract

This study examined the correlates of objective social isolation from extended family members and friends among older adults. The analysis is based on the older adult sub-sample of the National Survey of American Life (n = 1321). Multinomial logistic regression analyses examined race/ethnicity, demographics, functional health and family and friend network factors as correlates of objective isolation from family and friends. Only 4.47% of respondents were objectively isolated from both their extended family and friends, 10.82% were isolated from their friends, and 7.43% were isolated from their family members. Men were more likely to be objectively isolated from both family and friends and older adults who live with others were significantly more likely to be objectively isolated from their friends. When controlling for subjective social isolation, the two measures of functional health were significantly associated with objective social isolation. In particular, higher levels of self-care impairment decreased the risk of being objectively isolated from friends only, whereas higher mobility impairment was associated with an increased likelihood of being objectively isolated from friends only. Subjective evaluations of social isolation from family and friends were consistently associated with being objectively isolated from family and friends. There were no significant differences between African-Americans, Black Caribbeans and non-Hispanic Whites in objective isolation. These and other findings are discussed in detail.

Effect of an Integrated Healthcare Program for Korean Rural Older Adults: A Quasi-Experimental Study

“…Therein, the results of this study showed that the integrated healthcare program improved the static and dynamic balance among the physical functions of the elderly individuals; increased their ego integration and role self-efficacy; decreased their loneliness; and resulted in the improvement of physical, social, and mental health. The results of this study can be seen as supporting previous studies that demonstrated improved emotional health and self-efficacy through physical activities for the elderly adults with disabilities on the basis of RAM [45], and improved emotional health by reducing loneliness and depression through social support [46].…”

Obesity and Polypharmacy among African American Older Adults: Gender as the Moderator and Multimorbidity as the Mediator

“…The mechanism of this finding is not known, and necessitates additional research. Literature has connected social isolation and lack of social support to a wide range of health problems such as depression, chronic disease, and poor self-rated health [95,96,97,98,99]. This finding is important because social isolation is common among AA older adults [96,99].…”

You’ve got a friend in me: sociable robots for older adults in an age of global pandemics

“…For people sixty-five and over, living alone is strongly correlated with feeling subjectively lonely (University of Michigan, Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation 2019). Ironically, although older people living alone often report loneliness, they have larger social networks and more frequent participation in social activities (Chatters et al 2018). Perhaps, the social connections available to older adults living alone do not generally reflect a preference to share company with someone, but instead the need for professional services.…”

“…For example, connections instituted following the death of a spouse or deterioration of health might reflect a need for transportation or caregiving and might not involve the kinds of social or emotional ties that keep loneliness at bay. While many societies express normative expectations that families will meet older people's affiliative and social needs, in fact, studies of people age fifty-five and over reveal that older age is a reliable indicator of social isolation from family (Chatters et al 2018). According to social convoy theory, people maintain a network of social relationships that escorts them through life, like a convoy or group of fellow travelers on the road of life (Wrzus et al 2013).…”