Combatting Loneliness for the Older Person in Rural Communities

You can be amongst a great deal of people but still feel lonely, this resonates with the painful feeling that arises from a gap in social connections. Rural life globally has changed dramatically. Loneliness is multifaceted and complex with a profound impact on health, economic and societal outcomes. Adults living alone have a higher proportion of feeling lonely, as opposed to living with another person. The older person living in rural areas urgently requires attention to combat loneliness. This review will inform the development of public services and policies in relation to loneliness and the older person. It will also urge Governments to develop national strategies to combat loneliness. The aim of this review is an attempt to map and synthetize evidence to combat loneliness for the older person living in rural areas. The objective is to explore relevant solutions that may assist in combatting loneliness for the older person. Methodology utilized a scoping review following the PRISMA guidelines. It explored the connection of the Older Person with loneliness living in a rural area. Searches were undertaken to identify: (1) measures of loneliness from review articles and grey literature and (2) studies reporting on loneliness. Conclusion: Loneliness is growing rapidly all over the world. Not addressing this global epidemic could be a determinant to society and cost billions in terms of healthcare.