Loneliness is a Health Problem
Recently, I spoke at the Clinton Foundation’s Health Matters Conference about how we can improve the health of Americans and revamp our health care system.
I felt it was important to discuss issues that aren’t always seen as health-related, so I spoke about a recent interaction I had with one of Humana’s Medicare Advantage members. I’ve always found it motivating and educational to visit members because you learn so much about their particular needs. For the panel, I spoke about visiting “Betty”, who lives in an under-resourced area in South Florida.
Humana does member visits to ensure Medicare Advantage members like Betty – many of whom have difficulty getting to a doctor’s office – are receiving the right medical care. The visit with Betty lasted about an hour. Our nurse went over her medications and checked out her refrigerator to make sure she was eating nutritious foods.
During the visit, I asked Betty if there was anything specific we could do to help her. She said two words that have really stuck with me: “I’m lonely.”
Betty is an 80-year-old member living alone, whose limited means prevent her from being able to connect with other folks like her outside of her home. For Betty, loneliness is a health problem, and it needed to change.
Not How It’s Diagnosed
I asked our team to get Betty access to transportation (which they did right away) so she could interact with people. While it improved her situation, her loneliness comment got me thinking about the health implications of the problem.
John Cacioppo, Director of the Center for Cognitive and Social Neuroscience at the University of Chicago and author of the book "Loneliness," has described the growing issue of loneliness as not simply sad but as dangerous to our health. For example, in a recent TED presentation, he cited a study of 100,000 people that showed loneliness increased the odds of an early death by 45 percent.
A person’s health is not strictly limited to the standard physical and mental issues. We don’t diagnose loneliness as a health problem like we do obesity or asthma, but loneliness, which can lead to depression, can have a serious impact on an individual’s health and well-being.
One study on the impact of loneliness among seniors found that “people who reported being lonely were more likely to suffer a decline in health or die over a six-year period than those who were content with their social lives.”
With 10,000 people a day turning 65, loneliness is an issue that can have a significant impact on the health of our senior population.
How We “Treat” It
Social media and other technologies can help isolated people connect with friends and loved ones. Whether it’s using FaceTime to catch up with a grandchild or seeing a friend’s pictures on Facebook, these channels provide a valuable service for Betty and others to connect with people important to them that they don’t get to see that much.
These services, however, are only a small part of the solution. They must never be seen as a substitute from the emotional power of connecting with people in-person: a hug from a friend; a kiss from their granddaughter; an hour spent with a childhood neighbor. These in-person encounters are what we live for, what make us who we are, and, in some cases, are reminders to people like Betty that they’re not alone.
Start a Discussion
We all get wrapped up in our daily lives – work, children, grandchildren, friends. It’s important to stop and think about the people who don’t have the chances and/or resources for social interaction like many of us do.
The overall care of individuals like Betty is comprised not only of medical conditions but also social elements such as loneliness. At Humana, we’re focused on figuring out how to address the whole individual and not just the medical facets.
Loneliness may not be “diagnosed” like depression or obesity, but it can have a negative impact on one’s health. Not everyone – as Betty did – is going to tell us they feel lonely. The more we place this problem top of mind, the easier it will be to solve.
Photo: Creative Commons / OSU Commons
Sales Representative at Humana
10 年Just took notice of your post above via our Humana "Hi" page. Very insightful, and quite inspiring to see you and I with the same concern for our seniors. As a MarketPoint career agent in Hendersonville, NC, I see the clear link between loneliness and our members health improvement or decline. There are some seniors whos only visitors are myself, or their Humana Cares nurse. On my Walmart days, the regulars will stop to talk or tell me a joke - I give them my all for that few minutes because I know that shopping isn't the main reason they come nearly every day. I look forward to a time when Humana is able to provide transportation the way that we do in Broward, where my sister-in-law is a MarketPoint career agent. Getting some of those isolated members to a Silver Sneakers class could make a huge impact, I believe. I'm going to work with our local Silver Sneakers coordinator to possibly bring classes to senior housing/apartment complexes in our area. We'll see what we can accomplish!
Registered Pharmacist at Oregon State Hospital
10 年This article hits home on so many levels.--ps
Digital Health Strategist | Business,Product, Market Strategy; Patient Engagement; Data Insights
10 年What incredible insight - a problem that is so acute and impacts so many, but nowhere on the radar as a "problem" to be addressed. Thanks for bringing this to light. I think especially with the senior housebound population there is the opportunity to create very simplistic skype-like services to at least connect with loved ones. This is no substitute for face time, but better than nothing. My family set up a program to have a phone calling schedule for grandchildren to make a quick call to their 93 year old grandmother. Each of the kids only call once a week but she gets a call at least once a day. She loves it and so do they!
Marketing Expert | Communications Professional | PR | Event management | Non-profit development. Let's connect and explore your MarCom needs.
10 年Very interesting! I work for a company that produces a telemedicine solution for physicians and their patients via teleconferencing. It would be so simple to take this technology and create virtual communities for the elderly. The quality and streaming is great. Feels like you're right in the same room (unlike facetime or skype) and multiple people can join in to play cards, talk, ect. at the same time from almost anywhere in the world with a good internet connection. Seems like it would be an easy way to offset loneliness and bring together people who either live in a very rural location or can't get transportation to events in their community.
Veteran - Experienced, results-driven healthcare leader
10 年Bruce, I appreciated reading this article. Loneliness is not limited to the aged; loneliness and isolation seem to be a significant problem in our society as we become more engaged in modern technology (and less engaged in other persons) in and out of the workforce. Less extended family living nearby and the general busyness of living in the 21st century can exacerbate these problems. Identifying these issues with our clients is vital; helping them to establish or reestablish important relationships with friends, loved ones, family members, and neighbors, may make significant improvements in their quality of living.