Healthcare (Commonwealth Union) – Loneliness particularly among the elderly particularly in industrialised urbanized communities has been a serious concern across the globe. The condition is most frequent when elderly individuals are cut off from family members often due to migration or relocation for work.
More and more, people are seeing loneliness in older Australians as a serious public health problem that raises the risk of depression, anxiety, heart disease, and dementia. Monash University‘s most recent study shows that older people who feel like they have more control over their own lives are less likely to feel lonely.
The Journal of Affective Disorders published the study, which looked at how “locus of control”—the degree to which a person believes they can shape life events rather than leaving outcomes to luck or fate—affects feelings of loneliness in older Australians, both before and as the COVID-19 pandemic took place.
Dr Pei-Chun Ko, lead author and researcher at Monash University’s School of Social Sciences, highlighted that the results underscore the protective role of personal agency in reducing loneliness.
“Loneliness is not just about how many people you see, it’s also about how much control you feel you have. Older adults who believe they can influence their circumstances seem better equipped to cope with isolation, even in the most challenging periods,” explained Dr Ko.
The researchers drew on information from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey, following Australians aged 65 and older over time. They assessed participants’ sense of control in 2011, 2015 and 2019, and then evaluated their levels of loneliness roughly a year later in 2012, 2016 and 2020. By measuring these factors at different points, the team was able to show that feeling in control predicts later loneliness, rather than loneliness shaping a person’s sense of control.
Results showed that a stronger internal locus of control was repeatedly associated with lower levels of loneliness. The link became even more pronounced during the COVID-19 period in 2020 compared with 2016, indicating that a solid sense of personal control may be particularly protective during times of crisis.
As the population of Australia continues to age, marking the psychological factors that guard against loneliness is becoming increasingly vital. The point towards an internal locus of control that may enable older adults to see time alone as manageable — or even meaningful — backed by qualities like self-efficacy, emotional regulation, confidence in problem-solving and a willingness to get the relevant support when it is required.
The authors have stressed that these insights have the ability to shape new intervention strategies that go beyond simply enhancing social engagement. Initiatives produced to enhance older adults’ sense of agency — like programs that strengthen problem-solving skills and encourage active engagement in life — may prove more effective in reducing loneliness than social activities alone.
“Boosting social contact matters, but it’s only part of the picture. When older adults feel they can exercise their control over their own daily lives – solve problems and stay actively involved – they’re far more resilient against loneliness. We need policies and programs that recognise this,” explained Dr Ko.
The researchers urge governments to invest in and assess programs that strengthen older adults’ sense of control, alongside broader social initiatives, and to integrate agency-focused strategies into aged-care services. They also emphasise the need for more long-term studies to clarify how psychological strengths influence feelings of loneliness in later life.
The research team included Dr Barbara Barbosa Neves from The University of Sydney and Dr Rosanne Freak-Poli from Monash Health.
The study is based on data from the HILDA Survey, which was established and funded by the Australian Government Department of Social Services and is administered by the Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research.
