Social connectedness and health amongst older adults

Australia is experiencing a “structural ageing” of its population; by 2044 approximately 25% of adults will be aged 65 years and over, leading to a corresponding increase in need for aged health and community care provisions. Older adults have been shown to be more vulnerable to social isolation than the rest of the populace. Socially isolated older adults have more ill health and less well being than those who are socially connected. Social connection appears to provide a protective effect against ill health and mortality in the aged. It is likely that those who are socially connected will, therefore, have less need to access health and community care services than those who are socially isolated. Based on a qualitative study of older adults within a local Melbourne municipality, I argue that increasing social connectedness amongst the elderly could have important beneficial impacts, not only on health, but also on government budgetary requirements and service allocations and, at a social capital level, on all of society. I also argue that, to date, programs that promote social connectedness amongst older adults are limited in their ability to access those who are truly socially isolated.