Orphaned seniors and the holidays

Here we are right up at the edge of another holiday season, and most of us are thinking of all of the gifts we’ll be getting and giving, as well as all of the guests coming and going, and travel that will be taking place. However, most of us won’t give any thought to a growing demographic within the elderly population – “orphaned seniors.” These are seniors who are divorced, or seniors who do not have any children or family to speak of. According to a survey commissioned by the National Institute on Aging, in the past 4 decades, divorce has increased fourfold among older adults.

To these seniors, the holidays will be a time of loneliness and alienation. Many won’t get a gift, or a visitor, and their disabilities often times make them incapable of leaving their facility to seek human interaction.

Let’s remember that something as simple as a phone call can make all of the difference to a lonely senior.