Many Older Adults Feel They Have Become 'Irrelevant,' New Research Shows

New research suggests many seniors are depressed by the perception of becoming irrelevant, driving their desire to stay social and relevant and avoid the loneliness often associated with aging, reports Kaiser Health News . When people reach their 60s, opportunities to offer advice decline, and a 2016 study published in Social Psychology Quarterly found one in five people in their 60s said they did not give advice to anyone in the past year, dropping to one in four people 70 and older. Moreover, a SCAN survey of 1,000 adults age 64 and older conducted in August determined nearly 25 percent of respondents agreed "they aren't important to anyone anymore." "Maintaining ... social engagement can give you a greater sense of purpose and give a sense of motivation that can make you behave in ways that are better for your health," says Patricia Thomas at Purdue University's Center on Aging and the Life Course. Meanwhile, a 2017 study published in the Journals of Gerontology: Social Sciences found that "becoming actively engaged in volunteering in later life is related to lower levels of subsequent disability."