When Solo Aging Leads to Loneliness

Part One: We can’t go it alone.

Recently, a local organization asked me to participate in a focus group for older adults. They asked me, as a younger participant (I’m 55), for suggestions on how to better serve those who have just joined this demographic.

I urged them to seriously combat isolation and loneliness among seniors of all age groups. Local organizations should do more to help aging adults connect with their peers in meaningful and healthy ways.

As a death doula and educator, I’m seeing all the ways this isn’t happening, and the results are tragic.

According to the University of Michigan National Poll on Healthy Aging (2018 & 2023), 1 in 3 adults over 50 reported feeling isolated. Solo agers (especially those without children or partners) were more likely to report unmet needs in planning for long-term care and managing illness.

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM, 2020) found that more than one-third of adults aged 45 and older feel lonely. Nearly one-fourth of adults aged 65 …