Question

In some countries, loneliness and isolation amongst older people is increasing and leading to mental health issues. What do you think is the cause of loneliness and what measures could be taken to solve it?

Model Answer

It is not uncommon to hear that the body of elderly person has been found in their home after lying undiscovered for a number of years. That this happens is reflective of a society in which many elderly people live in isolation. There are many underlying causes of this, chief of which is the disappearance of communal spaces for elderly people to meet one another.

Many people leaving the workforce today face the bleak prospect of a lonely retirement. If you are of retirement age and your partner dies, then there are often relatively few bonds tying you to a wider community. In the past, people were members of social organisations such as parish churches, social clubs, or workers cooperatives. For little or no money, people used to be able to spend the evening in the company of others. As these spaces have disappeared, so the number of lonely pensioners has increased.

What can be done to combat this increase in loneliness? One solution would be the creation of virtual online communities where people who share similar interests could meet. The government should promote such groups by offering elderly people special cheaper Internet packages. Another solution would be for the government to subsidize events at local cafes where older people could mingle. If options for a cheap night out were available, then older people would undoubtedly socialise more.

In conclusion, not all elderly people are lonely but there are some relatively simple solutions that could be put in place to improve the mental health of those older people who are suffering from loneliness.

(263 words)