Loneliness is "hidden killer of elderly
By: Sean Coughlan, a BBC news education and family correspondent
BBC News Website
1 February 2011
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-12324231
SUMMARY
A recent study has found out that loneliness amongst the elderly is a catalyst for depression, bad diets and lack of exercise. This causes various cardio-vascular problems for these elderly people and the lack of social interaction, "a tenth of elderly people see their friends or families less than once a month" is directly linked with the prominence of Alzheimer's disease. A group of charities have lauched a campaign - Campaign to End Loneliness, which is advocating for loneliness to be recognized as a public health problem that not only mentally makes one a weaker person but physically weakens our immune systems along with the other life-threatening diseases listed above, overall killing the elderly earlier.
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Like many other ageing problems, isolation needs to addressed to the mass public as we all perceive loneliness as something without any substantial affect on us, a mere state of mind which would pass away, but through his research we can clearly see that is not the case. We need to recognize the serious ills that are caused - depression, heart attack, Alzheimer's, and realize how life-threatening they are, basically killing us earlier. Everybody needs to make a conscious choice, I believe, in deciding their lifestyle - is leaving your mom/dad, grandpa/grandma, in home, or better stated as mere 4 walls, worth their health? Worth their life?
PERSONAL CONNECTION
I feel really strongly about this article as my grandparents live away from me, and this research makes me realize that while I am in Malaysia, hoping to go to college and all my future plans, back "home" my grandparents are suffocating to death - not seeing their families for months. This article makes me realize what affect loneliness is having on their health other than the "sadness." It makes me wonder, is this the right thing to do?
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Like many other ageing problems, isolation needs to addressed to the mass public as we all perceive loneliness as something without any substantial affect on us, a mere state of mind which would pass away, but through his research we can clearly see that is not the case. We need to recognize the serious ills that are caused - depression, heart attack, Alzheimer's, and realize how life-threatening they are, basically killing us earlier. Everybody needs to make a conscious choice, I believe, in deciding their lifestyle - is leaving your mom/dad, grandpa/grandma, in home, or better stated as mere 4 walls, worth their health? Worth their life?
PERSONAL CONNECTION
I feel really strongly about this article as my grandparents live away from me, and this research makes me realize that while I am in Malaysia, hoping to go to college and all my future plans, back "home" my grandparents are suffocating to death - not seeing their families for months. This article makes me realize what affect loneliness is having on their health other than the "sadness." It makes me wonder, is this the right thing to do?
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