Senior loneliness and isolation are import issues affecting our community. Both threaten older adults’ independence, and can create health risks as significant as obesity, smoking or alcoholism.
What may be surprising however, is that loneliness and isolation are not synonymous.
A McMaster University study defines isolation as a state that arises from having too few or no social relationships. In contrast, loneliness is the subjective perception of having insufficient social relationships or not enough contact with people.
The two are related but distinct. It’s possible for seniors to be isolated and not feel lonely (and vice versa). The common denominator?
Living alone.
In 2011, Statistics Canada found that 31.5% of women and 16% of men over the age of 65 did not live with a spouse or another family member. Currently, there are close to 900,000 seniors living alone in British Columbia.
By 2031, one in four of us will be an older adult.
“No one wants to be forced to leave their community because they can’t access the services they need,” says Kahir Lalji, the provincial manager of Better at Home and United Way’s Healthy Aging Initiative. “But this is something we see happening in communities across the province.”
That’s where you come in. Connecting with seniors provides a meaningful—and mutual—learning experience, and it doesn’t take much. “We’ve seen volunteers and clients build lasting friendships, and we’ve seen transformations in communities, too,” says Kahir.
It’s also not always about doing things for seniors; it’s about doing things with them. Often the best relationships start with providing a service (such as shopping, yard work, minor repairs or transportation) in order to develop a more meaningful relationship.
“Providing these types of services is a place from which to build a rapport,” says Kahir. “Then it can be about having a cup of tea, playing cards or going for walks together.”
United Way collaborates with the organization Allies in Aging to connect seniors across our communities with leadership, outreach, transportation, training and advocacy opportunities. Allies in Aging created the below video with its Quebecois partners to show how issues facing older adults transcend regional boundaries and how we all have a part to play in connecting with seniors in our communities.
Want to help the seniors in your neighbourhood? United Way also manages 67 Better at Home programs across the province, and these programs rely heavily on volunteers to provide services to seniors, including light yard work, transportation, snow shovelling and regular social visits.
Check out Better at Home’s website to find an opportunity near you.