Caring for grandchildren is a “shield” against loneliness, but not for partners

Volunteering and caring for grandchildren reduce the likelihood of feeling lonely after age 50, while caring for a spouse or partner is associated with increased loneliness, according to a new major international scientific study, the most comprehensive of its kind of her until today.

The researchers, led by Samia Akhter-Khan of the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience at King’s College London, who published in the journal Aging and Mental Health, conducted a systematic review and a meta-analysis of data from 28 surveys involving a total of nearly 192,000 people in 21 countries.

“Loneliness can make people feel isolated and disconnected from others, which can have a wide range of negative effects on their physical and mental health. There is an urgent need to identify the people who are most vulnerable to loneliness and develop targeted solutions. Our findings show that caring for a partner with complex health problems, especially dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, is associated with higher levels of loneliness, while caring for children or volunteering help to reduce loneliness in older people,” said lead researcher.

The study also highlights the fact that many older people provide many important and unpaid services to others, relatives and non-relatives, which often gives meaning to their lives. Having these services recognized by others is an important step, according to the researchers.

See here the scientific publication

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