How Race, Gender, and Cohort Shape Social Isolation and Loneliness in Older Americans.

Abstract

Older adults' social lives vary by ethno-racial groups, gender, and cohort, and these differences may widen over time. This study used data from four rounds (2005-2023) of the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (NSHAP; N = 4328) to examine intersectional differences in social isolation and loneliness across two cohorts of Americans: the Silent Generation (born 1928-1945) and Baby Boomers (born 1946-1964). Using random-effects models, we tracked the Silent Generation over 15 years and Baby Boomers over 5 years. At baseline, Silent Generation Black men had higher social isolation than other groups. Silent Generation White women experienced the steepest increase in isolation. Silent Generation Hispanic women and Baby Boomer Hispanic men saw declines in loneliness. These findings highlight the need for targeted, culturally informed interventions to mitigate the ongoing consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the importance of adopting an intersectional lens when studying loneliness and social isolation in older adults.