Loneliness, an emotional state rather than a mental disorder, can substantially affect the health of older adults, as well as use of health care services. A "Five things to know about ..." practice article in CMAJ ( Canadian Medical Association Journal ) summarizes key points to help clinicians understand the effect of loneliness on older patients.
Loneliness is
"Our health care system and society are increasingly recognizing loneliness as a serious public health problem, but clinicians are often unprepared to properly assess and manage lonely patients," says Dr. Nathan Stall, a research fellow at the University of Toronto and Women's College Research Institute and a geriatrician at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto, Ontario.
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Podcast permanent link: https://soundcloud.com/cmajpodcasts/181655-five
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