Originally published 12/14/2018
More than a third of adults over 45 are lonely, according to a new report from the AARP Foundation. While that percentage (35%) remains unchanged from a 2010 version of the survey, the over-45 population has increased substantially during those eight years — meaning about 5 million more adults, almost 48 million in total, can now be considered lonely. The report found:
Most likely to be lonely:
- People who were physically isolated
- People who had small social networks
Least likely to be lonely:
- Those who reported large and diverse social groups
- People with frequent contact with friends, neighbors, and family members
- Involvement in community and religious groups
- Marriage
- Regular sexual activity
