Compensatory Connections? Living Alone, Loneliness, and the Buffering Role of Social Connection Among Older American and European Adults

Abstract

Objective The growth of solo living has important implications for the rising “loneliness epidemic” among older adults. This study considered whether two forms of social connectedness—extra-household core discussion networks and social participation—buffer the loneliness associated with living alone. Method Our study used data from two surveys (National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project; Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe) encompassing 20 developed Western countries in 2009/2010 and 2015/2016 (n = 110,817). Harmonizing measures across data sets, we estimated survey-specific and pooled longitudinal regression models with interaction terms. Results High levels of social connectedness only moderately buffered the loneliness associated with living alone in later life. Findings were largely consistent across regions of Europe and the United States, though the buffering patterns were most robustly identified for widowed solo dwellers. Discussion Extra-household connections are partial compensators, but do not seem to fully replace the ready companionship afforded by residential co-presence in later life. Future research is needed to understand whether the efficacy of compensatory connections differs by gender, race/ethnicity, and across more diverse global regions.

National Health Guidelines for Social Connection: What Is the Evidence in Support and What Might the Guidelines Say?

“…Evidence appears to support the need for social interaction in both contexts. For example, there is evidence that social interaction outside the home only partially compensates for the lack of social companionship within the home (i.e., living alone) (Schafer et al, 2021). There is also research pointing to the importance of interactions outside the home, including time spent in nature and social connection within the workplace (Goldy & Piff, 2020).…”

Distinct aspects of human connection associated with subjective well-being

“…Musick and Bumpass, 2012 ; Nicolini et al, 2021 ). Some studies have specifically found that spouses/partners matter more for well-being than other ties do ( Schafer et al, 2021 ; Dahlberg et al, 2021 , meta-analysis). Gariépy et al’s (2016) meta-analysis concludes that the “source of social support most consistently associated with protection from depression in adults was spousal support (100% of studies reported a significant association)” (p. 286)—even though the benefits of marriage can weaken over time and couple bonds are often fraught with ambivalence.…”

Personal Network Size and Social Accompaniment: Protective or Risk Factor for Momentary Loneliness, and for Whom?

“…To date, the role of social network relationships in shaping loneliness has been largely studied using standard survey questions that ask respondents to report on the general characteristics of their personal relationships and their overall or “average” levels of loneliness (e.g., Schafer, Sun, and Lee 2022). More recently, however, studies have begun to examine loneliness in the shorter term, revealing that feelings of loneliness can fluctuate significantly over weeks or even days and that these fluctuations can depend on the social-contextual characteristics that an individual experiences in a given moment (Compernolle et al 2021).…”