. Barbara Streisand Hits The Right Note
Remember her soulfully sung words of “People Needing People”? One of my favorites. It turns out that Barbara Streisand was on to something. Not only do love struck twenty something’s need people – it’s even more important to us baby boomers we we grow older!
What’s So Great About Independence?
Some of us any recall hearing about how older generations often lived together in some type of communal fashion. It was a goal of most to be able to remove themselves from such situations and be able to live alone. These days with all the digital devices we have available and other conveniences, living alone is much easier and much more common. Current research reveals that over 13% of Americans live alone.
The latest wrinkle is that all this independence may not be the best thing for us as we get older. New research according to The Wall Street Journal is showing that being by yourself, even if you choose to – can be detrimental and curtail your life expectancy. Their research shows that “more than our eating or exercise habits, our social lives can predict how long we will live.”
Solitude – It’s Affect on Resilience
Research conducted at Brigham Young University reveals that our physical and psychological wellness can be compromised by living alone or spending lots of time alone – even when it’s our preference. Their research which was published in Psychological Science in March claims that the amount of social interaction you get is a strong predictor of your lifespan! There are three groups and if you fit into any one of them- the news is gloomy. The three groups are: living alone, spending most of,your time alone or feeling lonely. Those people that fit into one of those groups have a 30% higher risk of dying within the next seven years than people who have strong social connections
I will continue to blog more on this subject later this week!
Growing Older With Gusto 