Older Adults Are Lonely. AARP Backs Legislation to Address the Problem

A federal bill would help measure isolation – an important first step toward tackling it

Emily Paulin & Natalie Missakian,

AARP

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Published March 11, 2025

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Older adults often report feeling lonely and isolated, which can have big consequences on their health. A former U.S. Surgeon General saw the problem as so widespread that he declared an “epidemic of loneliness” in America in 2023.

To help address these concerns, AARP is backing the Improving Measurements for Loneliness and Isolation Act, which would develop a way to quantify these issues in order to come up with solutions. AARP wrote to lawmakers Feb. 25 endorsing the federal legislation, which directs the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a working group to recommend standardized definitions and measurements of these two similar but different problems.

Social isolation is the objective state of not having relationships and contact with others, whereas loneliness is the subjective feeling of being alone and disconnected.

While a focus on the impact of loneliness and isolation has grown since the epidemic was declared, measuring prevalence can be challenging. However, clear evaluations of the problem are essential for further study and for public health teams to provide clear communication around solutions.

In our letter to the bill's sponsors, AARP wrote that the legislation is “an important step” toward combatting this epidemic, which disproportionately affects older Americans.

Disconnection is harmful, costly and at “crisis” levels

Research shows isolation puts people at higher risk for a host of physical ailments – from heart disease and stroke to diabetes, infections and dementia. Social disconnection can shorten life by about as much as smoking 15 cigarettes a day, according to former U.S. Surgeon General Vivek H. Murthy’s 2023 advisory.

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It’s also costly for taxpayers. A lack of social contact among older adults is associated with an additional $6.7 billion in Medicare spending annually, according to a 2017 AARP study.

When the bill was introduced to Congress in February, co-sponsors Reps. Mike Flood (R-NE) and Ami Bera, M.D. (D-CA) released a statement highlighting why improved reporting measures are needed.

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“As I’ve traveled the district, residents of every demographic across Nebraska have shared stories about loneliness, and it often leads to poor health outcomes,” Flood wrote. “The Improving Measurements for Loneliness and Isolation Act is a first step towards getting our arms around the scope of this epidemic so we can support solutions that work.”

“As a doctor, I have seen firsthand how loneliness and social isolation take a serious toll on both physical and mental health,” Bera added. “This isn’t just a social issue; it’s a public health crisis that demands a coordinated response.”

The bill proposes creating a national working group of senior representatives from several federal agencies, including the Department of Health and Human Services, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, among others. Representatives from the states reporting the highest and lowest rates around shortages of mental health professionals would also be required. The working group would need to deliver a report to Congress within a year with findings and recommendations.

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The bill follows guidance from Murthy’s 2023 advisory and a landmark 2020 report by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, which focused on loneliness and social isolation in older adults. Both reports recommended standardizing metrics, with Murthy noting that “consistent measurement will be critical to better understanding the driving forces of connection and disconnection, and how we can be more effective and efficient in addressing these states.”

AARP has long worked to raise awareness about and provide support for lonely and socially isolated older adults. AARP Foundation’s Connect2Affect, for example, lets you take an assessment to see if you or a loved one are experiencing social isolation and helps you find resources and support in your area.

Read about low-cost ways to deal with loneliness and isolation.

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Emily Paulin is an editor at aarp.org who covers nursing homes, health care, and federal and state policy. Her work has also appeared in Broadsheet, an Australian lifestyle publication.

Natalie Missakian covers federal and state policy and writes AARP’s Fighting for You Every Day blog. She previously worked as a reporter for the New Haven Register and daily newspapers in Ohio. She has also written for the AARP Bulletin, the Hartford Business Journal and other publications.