Social isolation is deadly (Slate, 8-23-13)

Date
Posted by

Many in our support group attended the July 2012 Parkinson’s Disease and Parkinsonism Caregiver Symposium in Foster City.  The keynote speaker, Dr. David Rintell, said that the social isolation caused when a caregiver stays at home 7×24 with their care recipient is as dangerous to us as smoking.  Certainly the same is true for care recipients who stay at home 7×24.

Someone in one of the online support groups I monitor posted an article in Friday’s Slate magazine.  The headline is “Loneliness is Deadly:  Social isolation kills more people than obesity does.”  The article is about the negative effects of social isolation, and about the idea that there’s stigma associated with being lonely.

Here’s a link to the article in Slate:

www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/medical_examiner/2013/08/dangers_of_loneliness_social_isolation_is_deadlier_than_obesity.html

MEDICAL EXAMINER :  HEALTH AND MEDICINE EXPLAINED
Loneliness Is Deadly
Social isolation kills more people than obesity does — and it’s just as stigmatized.
Slate
By Jessica Olien
Posted Friday, Aug. 23, 2013, at 12:15 PM

Robin