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The Battle of Loneliness Over 55
Written by Dennis Michael Lynch.
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IF YOU LONELY, YOU ARE NOT ALONE
The Silent Epidemic of Loneliness Among Older Adults
Since ending my LIVE daily podcast 2 weeks ago, I feel a sense of irrelevance. Although I will be hosting a weekly show on Wednesdays (exclusively on TeamDML.com) starting tomorrow at 11am, I’m understanding how people 55 and over can feel lonely. — DML
Loneliness among Americans over 55 is a growing concern. Recent data sheds light on this silent epidemic. As of 2025, approximately 100 million people in the U.S. are over 55. Of these, about 25 million are retirees. Shockingly, around 34% or 34 million individuals—report feeling lonely, a figure consistent with the 2023 National Poll on Healthy Aging, which noted a decline from pandemic highs but still a persistent issue.
The top driver of this loneliness is poor mental or physical health, with 75% of those reporting fair or poor mental health and 53% with fair or poor physical health feeling isolated. Marital status plays a role: a significant portion are single or divorced, with 38% of those living alone reporting loneliness compared to 32% living with others. This suggests that while marital status contributes, but it’s not the sole factor.
Why are these individuals struggling to meet people? Factors include retirement, loss of spouses, reduced mobility, and geographic isolation, and a lack of money as inflation hit the 55 and over crowd very hard — social security isn’t cutting it. Plus, tack on the stock market being a roller coaster — people are hesitant to spend money on leisure and fun. These life changes shrink social circles, making new connections challenging. The internet’s impact is double-edged: while it offers virtual interaction, studies indicate that heavy social media use correlates with increased loneliness, with 71% of frequent users feeling isolated versus 51% of light users. This suggests excessive online time may amplify disconnection rather than alleviate it.
To conquer loneliness, evidence-based strategies include joining groups, volunteering, or engaging in physical activities—approaches shown to reduce isolation by up to 50% in intervention studies. The 2021 NIHR review also supports befriending programs and cognitive behavioral therapy as effective. However, a concerning trend is that 42% of adults over 55 now use social media, up from 13% in 2010, with some spending excessive time online, potentially worsening isolation. And now, with the advent of AI, things will become even worse as people will struggle between what it real versus fake.
Pro Tips to Cure Loneliness
Join Groups: Attend adult centers or clubs to build in-person bonds.
Volunteer: Helping others boosts purpose and social ties.
Stay Active: Exercise classes enhance mood and meetups.
Reach Out: Call a friend weekly to maintain relationships.
Limit Screen Time: Replace online scrolling with real-world activities.
One thing I’ve been doing to avoid my iphone and computer is forcing myself to go outside more, and keeping myself moving as much as possible even when I’m inside the house. I start each morning with 45 minutes of light stretching and breathing. It takes almost no physical effort, but I feel great when done — I love it. I close out my session with 15 minutes of prayer, and then I go for a walk. During the day, I tackle little things that force me to put down the electric device and TV remote — I get my ass off the chair. I play some music while doing things like rearranging the garage, or cleaning out the kitchen cupboards — all of it keeps me off the internet, which is typically depressing. With this in mind, despite my retirement, to keep busy, to help my kids remain employed, and to stay connected to you, we are heavily moving into the world of newsletters. They are great tools for giving people a quick hit, if done correctly. Although today’s DML Health newsletter is a bit longer, our newsletters are typically 400 words — which usually means a 5-minute read — thus, giving the information you need without keeping you on the screen for too long. As people who are 55 and up, we need to leave the scrolling nonsense behind — it’s not health, causes dementia, and sparks loneliness. This is why we’re launching the newsletter model and saying goodbye to the daily podcast and news app demands.
Starting this summer, and completed rollout by September, I’ll have released all six newsletters that encompass my vision:
(1) 47Report Newsletter (White House politics) 6 a.m.,
(2) DML Health (health news) 9 a.m.,
(3) DML Report (my OpEds on culture and status of USA) 12 noon,
(4) Life After 50 (starts in August, inspiring personal over-50 stories) 3 p.m.,
(5) True News (starts in September, imagine the DML News App in a newsletter) 6 p.m.,
(6) DML Journeys (starts in July, highlights great U.S. locations most people don’t know about) 9 p.m.
Six newsletters, one delivered every 3 hours, each is typically a 5-minute read — for a total of 30-minutes daily. My goal is to help you reduce social media and online dependency. A 30-minute LIVE chat will be available daily to discuss the newsletters, and will foster connection without over-reliance on screens. If you are not receiving all three of the newsletters that are currently active (DML Report, DML Health, 47 Report), check your promotions and spam folders — move them into your inbox. If you are not getting all three newsletters, respond to this newsletter and tell me. If you are registered to receive my newsletters, the new ones will come to you by default. You can opt-out at any time. And remember, the sponsored ads keep us in business, so please consider visiting them.
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