Prevalence of loneliness among older adults in Germany

Susanne Wurm; Ulrike Ehrlich; Frauke Meyer-Wyk; Svenja M Spuling

doi:10.25646/11664

Prevalence of loneliness among older adults in Germany

J Health Monit. 2023 Sep 20;8(3):49-54. doi: 10.25646/11664. eCollection 2023 Sep.

Authors

Susanne Wurm¹, Ulrike Ehrlich², Frauke Meyer-Wyk^{1

3}, Svenja M Spuling²

Affiliations

¹ University Medicine Greifswald, Department Prevention Research and Social Medicine, Germany.
² German Centre of Gerontology, Berlin, Germany.
³ European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), Ispra, Italy.

PMID: 37829122
PMCID: PMC10565878
DOI: 10.25646/11664

Abstract

Background: Loneliness refers to the subjective perception of a mismatch between a person's social needs and their actual personal relationships. In this paper, the prevalence of loneliness in the older population was examined based on current data.

Methods: The German Ageing Survey is an ongoing, population-representative study. A total of 4,261 people 50 years of age and older were surveyed in 2020/2021 with regard to their experience of loneliness.

Results: Overall, 8.3 % of the population 50 years of age and older feel lonely. The findings showed no differences between different age groups over 50 years of age, nor are there gender or educational differences.

Conclusions: There was no evidence that older individuals living in private households experience loneliness more commonly than middle-aged individuals. Data from nursing home residents indicate that there may be a higher risk of loneliness.

Keywords: AGING; GERMAN AGEING SURVEY 2020/2021; GERMANY; LONELINESS; SOCIAL NETWORK; SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS.

Grants and funding

The German Ageing Survey (DEAS) is funded by the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth (BMFSFJ).