U.S. research links social isolation to dementia risk, suggests technology effective way to intervene

In the U.S., one in four people over age 65 experience social isolation. A pair of studies strengthen observations that a lack of social contact and interactions with people on a regular basis increases the risk of dementia and suggest that simple efforts to increase social support of older adults - such as texting and use of email - may reduce that risk:

• In the first study, 23% of participants were socially isolated and showed no signs of dementia. However, by the end of the nine-year study, 21% of  participants developed dementia. The researchers concluded that the risk of developing dementia over nine years was 27% higher among socially isolated older adults compared with older adults who were not socially isolated; and
• Using the same data, the second study found interventions using communications technology such as telephone and email lowered the risk for social isolation. Older adults who had access to such technology consistently showed a 31% lower risk for social isolation than the rest of the cohort.

The researchers say future research should focus on increased risks based on biological sex, physical limitations, race and income level.