VUB Research: Today’s Lonely Youth Are Tomorrow’s Lonely Elderly
Research by the VUB reveals that elderly people struggling with persistent feelings of loneliness often experienced moments of deep loneliness earlier in life. These feelings are frequently linked to past experiences of loss or the absence of a warm family environment during their youth, which made them more vulnerable.
As part of her doctoral research, Lise Switsers recorded the life stories of twenty elderly individuals dealing with loneliness. “It became clear that a significant portion of older people facing loneliness have experienced major life events in the past,” Switsers explains. “My research focused on people living at home, either independently or in service flats. Some of them struggle with long-term or chronic loneliness. We know that chronic loneliness often has serious consequences for mental health, such as depression, and even physical health. Their feelings are often amplified by negative thought spirals, which lead to further self-isolation and growing social anxieties.”
According to the researcher, today’s lonely youth are likely to become tomorrow’s lonely elderly, making it essential to address youth loneliness preventively. “The challenge is that they are sometimes difficult to approach,” Switsers notes. “Their environment and society at large must, however, be aware of the risk factors and pay the necessary attention to them. These risk factors include poverty, which limits or prevents access to social activities. For young people, the home environment often plays a critical role. Those who grow up without parents or in a household lacking warmth are at greater risk of experiencing loneliness later in life. Some elderly people with chronic loneliness are also chronically ill or face new experiences of loss, such as the death of a partner. As a community, we must reach out to these people. Being attentive to experiences of loss and life changes is crucial. It goes without saying that the government also has a role to play, particularly by considering factors such as mobility and creating pleasant neighborhoods with sufficient meeting places in its policies.”
More information:
Lise Switsers: +32 479 56 12 39
- Switsers, L. et al. (2023). Life stories from lonely older adults: The role of precipitating events and coping strategies throughout the lifecourse. Ageing and Society, 124. doi:10.1017/S0144686X23000715
- Switsers, L. et al. (2023). Exploring the demographic and situational characteristics of older British people experiencing loneliness as positive within the BBC loneliness experiment. Aging & Mental Health, 27(7), 1396-1402.
- Switsers, L. et al. (2023). Exploring Recent Adverse and Positive Life Events: A Qualitative Study Among Lonely Older Adults. Ageing International, 48, 194–210.
