Loneliness within older adults is more than the stereotype

In recent years, a lot of attention has been paid to loneliness in old age. Recent international studies show that 25% to 62% of elderly people experience occasional feelings of loneliness. However, the issue does not suddenly appear when one is old. Lise Switsers' doctoral research at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel showed the importance of looking at loneliness from a life-course perspective: "It's one of the many stereotypes that only older adults are lonely. On the contrary, people can be confronted with feelings of loneliness earlier in life, even during childhood and adolescence. Fortunately, for most people this is temporary. For some, however, loneliness can become chronic and permanent throughout their life." The findings show that something can be done about loneliness later in life; even in later life, these feelings can be temporary.