Loneliness: Findings from IBM’s Institute for Business Value 2017 Study on Loneliness in the Aging Population

Abstract

Loneliness is an increasing risk factor for a growing global aging population. Its growth is such that even the popular press has recently taken up the topic and its impact on soci-ety. With implications that extend to personal, economic, and even societal well-being, business leaders, medical professionals, policy-makers, advocacy groups, and social service organizations should not only be aware, but also active, in understanding, identifying, and addressing the root causes of loneliness in order to avert consequences. IBM's Institute for Business Value recently conducted a study of the topic that explored how industries and organi-zations can strengthen the social fabric of older adults and help them maintain connections to their family, friends, and communities. Designed to better understand the scale of the problem, the study included 50 interviews with experts from six countries across a variety of disciplines. From these global professionals in health, social work, research, technology, consumer and device manufacturing, advocacy, and government emerged a fulsome view of issues and a set of recommendations for addressing those issues, published in May 2017 in the final report, Loneliness and the aging population, How businesses and governments can address a looming crisis. Organizational understanding of loneliness and aging is imperative as larger numbers of citizens turn 65 each day and the average lifespan continues to increase. For many of the elderly, loneliness is a byproduct of declining social connectedness. But with social isolation comes a precursor to a host of poor medical and social outcomes that have economic ripple effects across families, multiple industries, and society as a whole. At an individual level, loneliness is responsible for increased risks of heart disease, stroke, dementia, and death. Yet it remains difficult for the medical and social community to take action because of challenges in detec-tion and remediation. Beyond the aging individual themselves, health impacts extend to families and caregivers engaged in caring for older adults, with some 22% of caregivers reporting a health decline. The costs to those family caregivers are sub-stantial and growing: AARP estimated that in 2013, the value of unpaid family caregiving in the United States was USD 470 billion, up USD 20 billion from 2009. Loneliness almost invariably begins through some form of loss. It might be the death of a spouse, siblings, or other contemporaries, or migration of younger family members in pursuit of work or education. It may be the onset of physical deficits in mobility, hearing, or vision, which can have a striking impact on ability to interact even when there are others around. Lack of transportation is also a factor, as is a waning sense of purpose, relevance, or value, often at the time of retirement. Addressing loneliness can be divided into two categories of challenges. At an individual level, identification efforst are hindered by the lack of standards for screening psychosocial health, co-morbidity with other health and social issues, and social stigma. But even if identified, significant disconnects deter efforts at design and development of comprehensive solutions. Among those identified in the report are: a frag-mented and incomplete stakeholder ecosystem, disconnection among operations of multiple-point solutions and interven-tions, and the myth that older adults will not use technology.