- Americans are living longer; globally, the number of centenarians is projected to increase eightfold by 2050.
- Due to this demographic shift, individuals may experience isolation, which can have a significant impact on their well-being.
- This passage is adapted from “The Big 100: The New World of Super-Aging” by William J. Kole.
The house I grew up in once filled with the bustling commotion of daily life. Today, my mother is its sole occupant, and it’s mostly quiet, except for the faint sounds of a television playing somewhere.
There are three TVs: one in the kitchen, another on the back porch, and a third in my mother’s bedroom. My younger brother and I visit once or twice a week, but now that she’s 92, those TVs have become her most loyal companions. Our father passed away over two decades ago, and tragically, we lost our middle brother two years ago.
For my mother, who has buried her parents, her husband, a son, three siblings, numerous nieces and nephews, and countless friends and neighbors, longevity comes with a curse. It is the constant ache of loneliness, reflected in every family portrait, personalized calendar, and faded photograph taped to the fridge. They’re all gone, and she’s still here.
The Health Risks of Increased Longevity
America is rapidly aging, presenting the possibility of 100-year lifespans to more people than ever before. Globally, the number of centenarians is expected to increase eightfold by 2050. However, this longevity comes with a downside: the risk, and perhaps even the certainty, of outliving those we hold dear and spending our remaining days in social isolation, if not physical isolation.
Highlighting the significance of human connection and its impact on our physical and emotional well-being, US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy has declared loneliness a nationwide public health epidemic. The World Health Organization reports that one in three older adults feels lonely, and this solitude is taking a toll on our mental and physical health comparable to the effects of obesity or alcoholism.
According to the National Institute on Aging, prolonged isolation poses health risks equivalent to smoking 15 cigarettes a day and may reduce a person’s lifespan by up to 15 years. It can trigger inflammation and elevated levels of stress hormones like cortisol, leading to increased blood pressure.
In the future, as the number of centenarians rises, there will be more company for those living past 100. However, a society where 100 is the norm is still years away. Until then, many individuals reaching this milestone will have to confront varying degrees of solitude.
The Distinction Between Loneliness and Being Alone
“I’ve been forgotten by our good Lord,” lamented Jeanne Calment of France, the oldest person whose age is officially documented, as she approached 122, having outlived those closest to her. A devoted Catholic, some geriatricians referred to her as “the Michael Jordan of aging,” and she would spend her mornings in prayer, posing a poignant and unanswered question to God:
Pourquoi? Why?
While a majority of Americans aged 65 and older express a desire to live beyond 100, they have certain conditions. More than half are concerned that old age is too risky to make it worthwhile.
By the way, loneliness shouldn’t be confused with being alone. As an introvert, I can attest to the restorative power of solitude for recharging. When I need a break from social interactions, I go for a long run, spend a day sailing solo on Narragansett Bay in Rhode Island, or enjoy some fly fishing with only the trout for company.
However, loneliness is different. It is the internal anguish stemming from a desire for companionship and camaraderie that remains unfulfilled. Seniors who experience loneliness have a higher likelihood of depression, suicide, dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, a weakened immune system, and an increased risk of heart attack and stroke according to research.
Of course, centenarians, like everyone else, are diverse. Some are able to overcome and navigate through loneliness on their journey to exceptional ages. Researchers at Fordham University have found that centenarians are both vulnerable and resilient.
My grandmother was born in 1899 and passed away in 2003, just shy of her 104th birthday. Her life spanned three centuries in many ways. It’s no wonder that my mother, her daughter, has mixed feelings as she journeys towards 100.
“I simply enjoy my life,” she tells me with a shrug. “When your time is up, it’s up. That’s it.”
Excerpted from “Follow Google News
Denial of responsibility! Vigour Times is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
