The researchers emphasized the importance of friendship for the elderly without children.

A recent study by scientists from the University of New Hampshire has shown that friendship can be one of the key factors helping people stay healthy later in life. It turned out that older people without children are more vulnerable to loneliness, but good friends help to compensate for this deficit. This was reported on December 4 by Medical Xpress magazine.

"Social connections are incredibly important. They affect both physical and mental health. Loneliness is a kind of silent killer, so we need to acknowledge it, talk about it, and find ways to combat it," said Alison Ratai, a researcher at the Institute for Health Policy and Practice and the Center for Aging and Community at the University of New Hampshire.

During the analysis, the team examined data from the National Health and Retirement Survey, which involved more than 1,000 people over the age of 50. The results showed that the loneliness rate among the elderly without children was 1.62 on the corresponding scale, while for people with children this indicator reached 1.52. However, among the elderly without children, but with an existing circle of friends, the loneliness rate decreased by 20% more compared to those without friends, but there are children.

Ratai noted that this is especially important on the eve of the holidays, when loneliness can increase due to physical limitations, distance from loved ones or the loss of loved ones.

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It has also been found that marital status has a strong influence on loneliness: divorced, widowed, and unmarried people feel more lonely. However, loneliness can be reduced through various forms of social connections.

The researchers noted that the analysis was partly motivated by demographic changes such as a decrease in the birth rate and an increase in the number of people without children who are living longer.

"Many members of the silent generation (born between 1928 and 1945) tended to have large families and a more traditional lifestyle — long marriages, children, and clearly defined family roles," Ratai said.

Research on loneliness is important for creating programs aimed at helping older people, including volunteering and participating in community events. It clarifies that this can significantly change the situation, especially in states such as New Hampshire, where there is a high proportion of elderly people.

On November 19, Medical Xpress reported a deterioration in nutrition in the elderly when eating alone. Caitlin Wyman, lead author of the study, a practicing nutritionist and PhD candidate at Flinders University, called eating together an important social activity that can affect appetite, dietary diversity and overall well-being. Eating in a company, she says, strengthens bonds, causes pleasure and can improve life.

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