How to Fight Loneliness and Social Isolation by Staying Connected Online
Do you have a family member or a friend in need of care but don’t live close enough to help in person? This series is for you. Each week for 9 weeks you’ll get a new tip on how to be a successful long-distance caregiver.
1st Tip: Stay Connected – Virtually!
Find time weekly or monthly to chat via telephone, or try a video service like FaceTime, Zoom, Google, or WhatsApp. Staying socially connected is important to health and well-being. Calling or video chatting with your loved one can protect them from the mental and medical impacts of loneliness and social isolation.
“Social isolation was associated with about a 50% increased risk of dementia and other serious medical conditions” according to a recent CDC article for the Alzheimer’s Disease and Healthy Aging Program, “Loneliness and Social Isolation Linked to Serious Health Conditions”.
Experiencing the emotional pain of social isolation and loneliness is associated with higher risks for diseases.
- High blood pressure
- Heart disease
- Obesity
- Weakened immune function
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Cognitive decline
- Dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease
- Death
What is social isolation?
It’s not having contact with people you connect with on a personal level. Social activities like lunching with friends, going to the gym, or visiting family can help keep people stay fitter and able to maintain independence longer.
What are the effects of social isolation on the body?
Scientists have learned that emotional pain, including the pain caused by social isolation, affects the body much like physical pain. Pain damages the body over time in several ways:
- Damages tissues in the body by causing inflammation which can lead to chronic diseases.
- Reduced ability to fight of disease by impacting the immune system which can lead to illness.
- Reduced cognitive function causing a decline in the ability to handle everyday tasks and can lead to dementia.
Who’s at risk for loneliness and social isolation?
At greatest risk are those who are unexpectedly isolated due to the following issues:
- Illness of a loved one
- Separation from friends or family
- Loss of mobility
- Worsening vision or hearing problems
- Disability or lack of mobility or access to transportation
If they also have one of the following challenges, the danger increases:
- Living alone
- Being unable to leave home
- Experiencing a major life change (death of a life partner or starting retirement)
- Struggling to make ends meet
- Being a caregiver
- Having mental health challenges
- Lacking enough social support
- Not being able to communicate well due to hearing loss or language difficulties
- Living in an unsafe or hard-to-reach neighborhood
- Experiencing discrimination on a regular basis
- Lacking meaningful activities or a sense of purpose
Virtual visits have been proven to ease loneliness. You can protect your loved one from some of the risks by staying in touch. But make sure make sure your plan is comfortable for both of you so you can both enjoy staying in touch!
Next Steps:
Not everyone feels lonely when socially isolated and not everyone enjoys video chats. Watch for the next week’s tip for alternative ways to stay in touch. Sign up for our newsletter to get notifications of the latest posts. You can also download the NIH publication for more information on understanding loneliness and social isolation.