Eldercare - Loneliness

What can you do if you're lonely? In the short term, there are many ways of breaking out of the feeling of loneliness. It is important to live every day to it's fullest, to see each sunrise as a gift. To ensure that you are able to make the most of each day you need to be in good physical condition; get a good night's sleep every night, exercise, eat regularly and enjoy a healthy, balanced diet.

Seek communication with others: phone friends and relations and make plans for meeting up and doing shared activities. If you practice a religion then you could talk to the local leader of your Faith. Go for walks, as well as enjoying the invigorating fresh air, you may get to meet and talk to people. In the long term there are numerous ways of dispelling loneliness.

Getting a pet is a good way to have companionship. Some pets require more maintenance than others so get the pet that is right for you. You may also want to think about pursuing an activity that you enjoy, or taking up a new interest. Perhaps you can take an educational course and learn a skill or an area of academia that appeals to you.

Don't forget to initiate contact with others; don't wait for them to come to you. People often 'mean to call' but life gets in the way of good intentions. Call someone and make contact.

A good way of making productive use of your time is to take up volunteer work. There is always a call for help, especially for charities - perhaps a worthy cause about which you feel strongly.

If you feel at a complete loss and need more help than family and friends can seem to give, do contact a community organization that can help you overcome your loneliness.

Adapted from: "Loneliness and the Older Adult" Ministry of Citizenship, Ontario 08/91