Loneliness, Social Isolation Tied to Fall Risk in Older Adults

A study in Scientific Reports found social isolation may be a risk factor for falls among seniors, reports HealthDay News . The investigators analyzed the longitudinal association between loneliness, social isolation, and falls among older adults. They noticed a 5 percent gain in the risk for self-reported falls for a 1-point increase in loneliness independent of sociodemographic factors — but when adjusting for individual differences in health and lifestyle measures, the link was no longer significant. The danger of self-reported falls was higher among people living alone and those with low social contact, even after controlling for sociodemographic, health, and lifestyle differences. Associations also were similar for hospitalizations following a fall. "Whilst this study uses data collected prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, its findings are particularly important in light of the pandemic as there is likely a heightened risk of loneliness and social isolation due to lockdown and social distancing measures," the authors concluded.