Summary:
A groundbreaking international study led by the University of Waterloo challenges the widely held belief that loneliness increases mortality risk among older adults receiving home care. Analyzing data from over 380,000 individuals in Canada, Finland, and New Zealand, researchers found that loneliness does not independently raise the risk of death after accounting for health conditions and other factors. The study emphasizes treating loneliness as a quality-of-life issue rather than a direct mortality risk, urging policymakers and healthcare providers to prioritize social support for isolated individuals.
What This Means for You:
- Loneliness may not directly increase mortality risk for older adults in home care, but it remains a critical factor affecting mental health and well-being.
- Healthcare providers should focus on improving social connections and psychological support for home care recipients to enhance their quality of life.
- Policymakers should prioritize funding and programs that address loneliness as a public health issue, even if it doesn’t directly correlate with mortality.
- Future research should explore cultural and systemic differences in caregiving to better understand the relationship between loneliness and health outcomes.
Research Challenges Link Between Loneliness and Mortality for Older Adults Receiving Home Care:
Various reports have linked loneliness to premature death, with some—including the U.S. Surgeon General—suggesting that loneliness is as harmful to one’s health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day.
However, a new international study led by researchers at the University of Waterloo’s School of Public Health Sciences has found that while loneliness is common among older adults receiving home care, it is not associated with an increased risk of death.
The study, “Cross-National Evidence on Risk of Death Associated with Loneliness: A Survival Analysis of 1-Year All-Cause Mortality among Older Adult Home Care Recipients in Canada, Finland, and Aotearoa in New Zealand,” was published in the Journal of the American Medical Directors Association.
The researchers analyzed data from more than 380,000 home care recipients aged 65 and older in Canada, Finland and New Zealand. Using standardized assessments and survival analysis, they found that lonely individuals had a lower risk of dying within one year compared to their non-lonely counterparts after adjusting for health conditions, age and other risk factors.
“Our findings suggest that loneliness may not independently increase the risk of death after controlling for other health risk factors among older adults in home care,” said the study’s lead author, Dr. Bonaventure Egbujie, a professor in Waterloo’s School of Public Health Sciences. “This contradicts much of the existing literature based on the general population.”
Loneliness prevalence—defined as the number of people per 100 who report feeling lonely—ranged from 15.9% of home care recipients in Canada to 24.4% in New Zealand. Interestingly, people in better physical shape and who got less help from family or friends were likelier to feel lonely, suggesting a complex link between health status, caregiving needs, and social connection.
The study urges policymakers and health-care providers to treat loneliness as a quality-of-life issue rather than focusing solely on its potential link to mortality.
“Loneliness is a serious threat to psychological well-being. The mental health consequences of loneliness make it an important priority for public health, even if loneliness doesn’t kill you,” said the study’s senior author, Dr. John Hirdes, a professor in Waterloo’s School of Public Health Science.
“Home and community care services must play a protective role by supporting social contact for isolated people.”
The authors call for longer-term studies to better understand the causal relationship between loneliness and health outcomes and to explore how cultural and care system differences influence these dynamics.
More information: Bonaventure A. Egbujie et al, Cross-National Evidence on Risk of Death Associated with Loneliness: A Survival Analysis of 1-Year All-Cause Mortality among Older Adult Home Care Recipients in Canada, Finland, and Aotearoa | New Zealand, Journal of the American Medical Directors Association (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.jamda.2025.105687
Citation: Research challenges link between loneliness and mortality for older adults receiving home care (2025, June 16) retrieved 16 June 2025 from https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-06-link-loneliness-mortality-older-adults.html
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Extra Information:
CDC: Loneliness and Social Isolation in Older Adults – Explores the broader health impacts of loneliness and strategies to combat it. WHO: Mental Health of Older Adults – Highlights the importance of mental health in aging populations and its connection to social isolation.
People Also Ask About:
- Does loneliness affect physical health? While loneliness is linked to mental health issues, this study suggests it may not directly increase mortality risk in older adults receiving home care.
- How can loneliness be reduced in older adults? Encouraging social activities, community engagement, and family support can help mitigate loneliness.
- What are the long-term effects of loneliness? Loneliness can lead to depression, anxiety, and reduced quality of life, even if it doesn’t directly cause death.
- How does home care impact loneliness? Home care services can play a protective role by fostering social connections and providing emotional support.
Expert Opinion:
Dr. John Hirdes, senior author of the study, emphasizes that while loneliness may not directly increase mortality, its profound impact on mental health makes it a critical public health issue. Addressing loneliness through targeted interventions can significantly improve the quality of life for older adults in home care settings.
Key Terms:
- Loneliness and mortality in older adults
- Home care and social isolation
- Mental health in aging populations
- Public health strategies for loneliness
- Cross-national study on loneliness
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