The Dangers of Winter Senior Isolation

The cold and dark of winter in certain parts of the country, can be hard for people to push through. It can particularly affect the mental state of seniors, presenting dangerous situations for loved ones that you should be aware of.

Often, dangerous weather conditions can cause older adults to become isolated, often leaving them distraught. The PACE-RI interdisciplinary was interviewed to help determine the main issues leading to isolation of seniors during the winter, the dangers of it and some things that can be done to help.

What are the issues that lead to isolation?

The winter experience for isolated older adults is different than those who have support. While many are supplied with what they require to survive and company to enjoy, other seniors with less resources go without or are unaccompanied.

The winter season is hard because some seniors are far away from family, have limited access to transportation, or in other cases, are estranged from family and have nowhere to go. The media presents the winter, and the holiday season within winter, as a time to warm up to the fire with loved ones and enjoy their company. Because many seniors have limited income, they often feel like they have nothing to offer to their friends and family, causing them to want to see them less often. These limitations leave elders feeling insecure on top of isolated.

The winter can also present itself as ominous for some, both physically and emotionally. According to Patricia Currier, Nurse Practitioner, and Denise Miller, Primary Care Nurse, during the holidays and the winter following, older adults often reflect on their losses over the years, as it is a reminder of those who are not around. They have faced the loss of loved ones, experienced challenges living a full life due to health concerns and watched family members move further away from the traditional family home, which allows them to reflect deeper.

The cold weather and increased duration of darkness makes this time even harder for our participants. People of all ages experience Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIH), SAD is, “a type of depression that comes and goes with the seasons, typically starting in the late fall and early winter and going away during the spring and summer.” This condition shares symptoms that we see in isolated seniors, including anxiety, poor appetite, and social withdrawal.

What are some of the dangers that could follow?

According to Social Worker Kristen Auger, these factors could lead to participants feeling depressed – especially those with behavioral health issues already. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention backs up her claim, reporting that about 5 percent of older adults have major depression, and the numbers rise to 11.5 percent in older hospital patients, and 13.5 percent for patients who require home health care. People residing in nursing facilities and those living alone with only home health care tend to be more isolated, and isolation is a key factor for depression.

A higher risk of suicidal ideations and poor decision-making come from a sense of despair as well. The “poor decisions”, such as not eating well, skipping medications and isolating themselves further are common behaviors for depressed individuals as well. The evidence shows that when seniors are isolated, their health is directly, and negatively affected.

What you can do

If you are informing yourself, you are taking the first step. Winter can make an older adult that already feels lonely, feel worse.

Auger recommends reaching out to loved ones, neighbors and friends who are elderly and are at risk of being lonely by calling or visiting. Another recommendation is simply taking the time to talk to those around you who may need help.

It is not always easy to get to our older loved ones in person, however. A recent study by Oregon Health and Science University in Portland, Oregon showed that video chatting can help isolated seniors get ahead of the blues. According to this study, video chatting may be a good way to keep older adults connected with loved ones and avoid depression. Results showed that older adults who used video chat applications  had almost half the estimated probability of depressive symptoms, after adjusting for other factors, such as pre-existing depression and level of education.

On a clinical level, many adult day centers and nursing homes work all winter long to keep their clients emotionally and socially stimulated through activities. If you know of an isolated senior that can visit an adult day center and does not, our clinical staff recommend doing so. Day centers can provide more than just socialization. They can also provide including memory care, food and supplies, and sometimes an easier way to access medical services.

Currier noted that if you know of an older adult who is often alone, let them know that local churches will often have volunteers who will visit isolated elders in the community. They may provide meals or events to give them a sense of community, and can event connect them to other social services if needed.

Finally, if you see an older adult displaying behaviors that hint that they are isolated or depressed, you are encouraged to reach out to them.