“Mom lives in a small town north of me. Since dad died, she doesn’t want to go out. Her arthritis is bad. I see her when possible but feel badly that she is alone. She says she is fine?

It is critical to understand the difference between social isolation and loneliness. We hear in the news about how seniors are prone to both these issues. The truth is, the language is not interchangeable.

Loneliness is a subjective state. The person may feel a sense of unhappiness or distress from not having people around enough or not having fulfilling social contact. They may feel they will be rejected or they may have poor self-esteem.

Social isolation occurs when the person does not have enough people to socialize with. People can feel lonely (their own perception) even in a highly social environment. The concept is related to depression, but not all people who are lonely are depressed.

Social isolation is defined as a lack of rewarding social relationships. A 2012 Statistics Canada Report stated that almost 25 per cent of seniors’ wished for more social participation.”

Read about factors which bring about social isolation

Nira Rittenberg is an occupational therapist who specializes in geriatrics and dementia care at Baycrest Health Sciences Centre and in private practice. She is co-author of Dementia A Caregiver’s Guide.