Many Lowcountry seniors are finding this time of social isolation to be very difficult. As human beings, we crave interaction with other people.
As people age, they often spend more time alone than when they were younger. This social isolation can lead to loneliness and depression.
Steve Cole, Ph.D. is the director of the Social Genomics Core lab at the University of California Los Angeles, and he works with the National Institute on Aging. "Loneliness acts as a fertilizer for other diseases," Dr. Cole said. "The biology of loneliness can accelerate the buildup of plaque in arteries, help cancer cells grow and spread, and promote inflammation in the brain, leading to Alzheimer's disease. Loneliness promotes several different types of wear and tear on the body."
Click here to read the rest of this article, written by Family Care Coordinator, Jennifer Redmond, as it appeared on The Bluffton News.