In-person visits reduce loneliness in older adults more effectively than phone calls, e-mails, or texts, according to researchers from the University of Texas and the University of Michigan.
“We found that when older adults feel lonely, they are more likely to pick up the phone and call someone. But in-person visits were the only type of contact that actually decreased levels of reported loneliness,” said Shiyang Zhang, the paper’s co-author and a UT postdoctoral fellow in human development and family sciences.
The study followed over 300 older adults aged 65 and older, showing that even brief in-person interactions can be beneficial. The researchers conducted the study in the Austin, Texas, area in 2016 and 2017, before the COVID-19 pandemic expanded the use of digital communications and increased isolation levels for many older people.
The researchers noted that scientists have long known that regular social contact is important for mental and physical health and contributes to longevity. Meanwhile, loneliness has been linked with heart disease, cognitive decline and even premature death.
“Although phone contact is available at most times and provides older adults with opportunities for social connections when they feel lonely, it appears that phone contact may not be as effective in reducing loneliness as in-person contact,” Zhang said. “Phone and digital contact do not provide older adults with the same emotional closeness and comfort as in-person contact. It’s just not a substitute.”
