The epidemiology of social isolation and loneliness among older adults during the last years of life.
Ashwin A KotwalIrena S CenzerLinda J WaiteKenneth E CovinskyCarla M PerissinottoW John BoscardinLouise C HawkleyWilliam DaleAlexander K SmithPublished in: Journal of the American Geriatrics Society (2021)
Social isolation and loneliness are common at the end of life, affecting 1 in 4 older adults, but few experience both. Rates were higher for older adults who were poor and experienced functional or sensory impairments. Results can inform clinical efforts to identify and address end-of-life psychosocial suffering and health policies which prioritize social needs at the end of life.