The Beatles in 1966 said it best in the iconic song – Eleanor Rigby. The impact of loneliness in old age on life and health expectancy has long been known.

In an article in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society the determination was made that older adults who are alone can expect to live a shorter life than more socially active individuals.

The pandemic brought this issue more to bear as an ever-increasing number of our population are faced with these aging issues.

The study determined that people who perceive themselves to be lonely can expect to live years less on average compared to peers who perceive themselves as never lonely. The data also found that a lot of this was quantified in going about activities of normal daily living – such as bathing and dressing, getting up and getting in and out of beds or chairs and preparing your own meals.

The study concluded that virtually 30% of our senior population consider themselves as the being somewhat if not fully alone. This long-term trend has a tremendous impact on public health and social issues that need to be addressed so that more policies are enacted to tackle loneliness among older persons.

For more information please contact attorney Steve Malach

An attorney for more than 40 years and licensed to practice in Michigan and Arizona, Mr. Malach heads Lipson Neilson’s estate planning practice group and is the founder of the Center for Estate Planning (CEP). With offices in Michigan and Arizona, the CEP specializes in all aspects of estate planning, from estate administration to lifetime counsel and probate administration work. CEP attorneys work with individuals, closely held businesses and charitable organizations.

Contact Steve Malach:
SMalach@lipsonneilson.com
Ph: 248-593-5000