Loneliness: Causes, Effects, and Ways to Combat It

According to the National Institute on Aging, the health risks of prolonged isolation are equivalent to smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Social isolation and loneliness have even been estimated to shorten a person’s life span by as many as 15 years.  

Ellen Houle and Beth Morley, Care Coordinators with Friends Life Care cover the causes, effects, and ways to combat loneliness. In addition, they discuss insights gleaned from Friends Life Care members about loneliness and ways our organization is dealing with the issue.   

Ellen is a licensed occupational therapist with more than seven years working with older adults. She has worked in a variety of settings including homecare, hospice, short term rehabilitation facilities and retirement communities. She earned her master’s degree in Occupational Therapy from Temple University and Executive Certification in Home Modifications from The University of Southern California.     

Ellen values the importance of a well-rounded and proactive approach to healthcare. In her free time, Ellen is an avid cyclist and drummer, playing in multiple bands in the greater Philadelphia area.   

Beth holds a Master of Social Work degree and a bachelor’s degree in International Studies and has 25 years of experience in public and private positions with a background in case management systems, long-term care coordination and program development.   

Previously, Beth worked for nine years with refugees and immigrants in emergency services, program management and community-based social services. She also was employed as a clinical social worker in a skilled nursing facility and spent two years coordinating community-based services for older adults in Virginia.   

Resources: 

https://www.ncoa.org/article/staying-socially-connected-can-stave-off-isolation-and-loneliness  

https://www.cmaj.ca/content/191/17/E476   

https://www.forbes.com/health/healthy-aging/how-to-mitigate-senior-loneliness/   

https://www.nia.nih.gov/ctctoolkit   

https://www.ncoa.org/article/staying-socially-connected-can-stave-off-isolation-and-loneliness 

https://www.friendslifecare.org/about-us/care-coordinators/ellen-houle/ 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabeth-morley-msw-9749b8109/ 

https://www.friendslifecare.org/about-us/care-coordinators/beth-morley/  

https://pennmemorycenter.org/programs-services/timetogether/ 

AARP Community Programs 

https://www.aging.pa.gov/local-resources/Pages/AAA.aspx 

https://www.pcacares.org/ 

https://eldercare.acl.gov/Public/Index.aspx 

https://www.ncoa.org/ 

https://www.nia.nih.gov/