People with dementia and their caregivers suffer from isolation and loneliness, according to new research findings.
It is suggested that individualized interventions will reduce the intensity of social loss and improve quality of life for both groups along the disease trajectory. Researchers from the University of California, San Francisco, and the Harvard Medical School examined numerous studies to discover how dementia affects the social lives of both sufferers and their caregivers.
Study participants with dementia lost their social networks as their memories failed. Conversations with loved ones became more challenging. But researchers also found that caregivers became isolated as their responsibilities mounted and they experienced grief over the loss of their relationship with their loved ones.
In a statement, Ashwin Kotwal, MD, first author and assistant professor of medicine in the UCSF Division of Geriatrics, said that unmet social needs can have a negative impact on life satisfaction. Previous research has shown that older adults with higher levels of social isolation are twice as likely to be placed in a nursing home.
The ability to maintain social lives was described as a “moving target” by study participants. As caregivers struggled to meet the changing needs of their loved ones with dementia, they described experiencing social withdrawal.
The study of married couples coping with dementia also found that relationships status impacted feelings of depression and loneliness. People with dementia who were highly satisfied with their relationships reported experiencing more loneliness than they had previously. The demise of their spouse didn’t affect them, but they experienced higher levels of sadness and isolation.
Kotwal said that people who are really invested in their marriage or partnerships have more to lose when one partner develops dementia. The emotional support from the marriage can be protective against loneliness and depression for those with lower marital quality.
The solution to loneliness is senior living.
The assisted living model was held up by the senior living industry as a solution to strengthening social connections for older adults.
The American Seniors Housing Association and ATI Advisory discovered that senior living communities enhanced life satisfaction during the epidemic by creating cohesive social environments and encouraging residents to engage in social activities. The study revealed that people who reside in larger communities tend to be healthier on all levels, including physical, mental, and social, than those who don’t.
The National Investment Center for Seniors Housing & Care found that the desire for socialization among older adults helped the senior living industry increase occupancy.
A survey from Activated Insights found that only 20% of senior citizens felt extremely lonely in 2021. A decline in loneliness among older adults in assisted living and other congregate living settings was revealed by the survey.
Combating the epidemic of isolation.
A report from US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, MD, described loneliness as a public health issue last spring. The evidence for interventions for people with dementia and their caregivers is sparse, according to researchers.
The UCSF researchers recommended that clinicians screen caregivers for individuals with dementia to help identify loneliness and isolation, and to provide interventions to address quality of life. The study also recommended more flexible support policies that address social connections throughout the disease trajectory, not just during advanced disease stages.
In the study, a new Medicare dementia care model was mentioned as a way to address those interventions through new reimbursement models.