The Risks of Experiencing Severe Loneliness Across Middle and Late Adulthood

Abstract

Objectives: From a theoretical point of view, older adults may not necessarily face a greater risk of becoming lonely than middle-aged adults but are more likely at a disadvantage in fighting loneliness. Therefore, in this study, we differentiate between the risk of becoming lonely and the risk of remaining lonely.

Methods: A large longitudinal data set representative of the German noninstitutionalized population from 40 to 85 years of age (N = 15,408; 49% female participants) 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.

Results: 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.

Discussion: 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.

Keywords: Longitudinal change; Personal relationships; Self-perceptions of aging; Social networks.

Figure 1.

The risks of becoming and remaining lonely across middle age and late adulthood. Dotted line = risk of becoming lonely in three years if not lonely at t0; solid line = risk of remaining lonely in three years if lonely at t0.

Figure 2.

The risk of remaining lonely across middle age and late adulthood after considering age differences in capacities, motivations and opportunity structure. a = no age differences considered; b = loneliness risk controlled for age differences in health; c = loneliness risk controlled for age differences in health and views on aging; and d = loneliness risk controlled for age differences in health, views on aging, social activities, and partner status.