Seniors’ Loneliness Costs Medicare

Work closely with your clients, it may help them live longer

By Janet Adamy – The Wall Street Journal – December 12, 2018

Baby Boomers are ag­ing alone more than any gen­er­a­tion in U.S. his­tory, and the re­sult­ing lone­li­ness is a loom­ing pub­lic health threat. This loneliness undermines health and is linked to early mortality. Policy makers are concerned this will strain the federal budget and undermine Boomers’ health.

Researchers say loneliness takes a physical toll and is as closely linked to an early death as smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day. Loneliness is even worse for longevity than being obese or physically inactive. The lack of social contacts among older adults costs Medicare $6.7 billion a year, mostly from spending on nursing facilities and hospitalization.

Seniors Living Alone, and Lonely, as They Age

Loneliness Shortens Life

Click to continue to article…

Clicking third-party links will open a new tab and will take you away from TPPNAmeriLife.com. AmeriLife does not control the linked sites’ content or link.