The risks of experiencing severe loneliness across middle and late adulthood

Abstract

From a theoretical point of view, older adults may not necessarily face a greater of risk becoming lonely than middle-aged adults but are more likely at disadvantage at fighting loneliness. Therefore, in this study we differentiate between the risk of becoming lonely and the risk of remaining lonely. A large longitudinal data set representative for the German non-institutionalized population from 40 to 90 years of age (N = 15,408; 49% female) was used in the analysis. Lagged logistic regression models were estimated to investigate the effect of earlier experiences of severe loneliness on the risk of being lonely after three years across middle age and late adulthood. Individual differences in health, views on aging, and social activities were taken into account to explore their role in age differences in the risk of remaining lonely. The analysis revealed marginal age differences in the risk of becoming lonely but a marked age gradient regarding the risk of remaining lonely. Lonely older adults who were older than 75 years of age were more likely to remain lonely after three years than lonely middle-aged adults. Controlling for individual differences in health, views on aging as social loss and social activities accounted for this age difference.Interventions against loneliness may prioritize older age groups because losses in capacities, shifts in motivations and a degraded opportunity structure render it increasingly less likely that older adults leave a state of loneliness on their own accord.