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Parade: Network and CADER Director Prof. Keefe Shares Advice for Combatting Loneliness in Older Adults
Research suggests that older adults aged 60 and up are particularly susceptible to loneliness and its related physical and mental health risks, including physical illness, sensory impairment, and social isolation. Prof. Bronwyn Keefe, director of the Network for Professional Education and the Center for Aging and Disability Education and Research at BU School of Social Work, spoke to Parade about methods for preventing loneliness as people age.
Excerpt from “This Is the Exact Age When We Tend to Feel the Most Lonely—and What to Do About It” by Kelli Acciardo:
Bronwyn Keefe, the director of the Center for Aging and Disability Education and Research (CADER) at Boston University School of Social Work . . . [adds] that there is much evidence citing the high rates of loneliness among older adults. ‘For example, a survey conducted by the AARP Foundation in 2018 revealed that more than one-third of older adults are lonely (defined as over 45 years old),’ she explains. ‘This prevalence rate increased to 43% in adults aged 60 and older.’”