Retirement is one of the major life changes the National Institute on Aging (NIA) lists as something that can raise the risk of loneliness and social isolation. Meanwhile, a large study of older Americans found that a stronger sense of purpose went with a lower risk of death. Neither finding tells you what to do on Monday, so this guide covers what the research shows, what it can't show, and a few low-risk places to look.
What the research shows, and what it doesn't
The study followed 6,985 people in the Health and Retirement Study from 2006 to 2010, and 776 of them died. Those who scored lowest on life purpose were more likely to die in that window than those who scored highest. The authors concluded that purposeful living may have health benefits.
This was an observational study: researchers watched people and recorded what happened, and changed nothing. That means it can't show whether purpose protects health or whether people who feel well simply feel more purposeful. Four years is a short window, and the study didn't test any way of raising purpose.
If you're planning a structured six-week experiment of your own, treat it as exactly that. The authors say future research should evaluate whether purpose interventions improve health outcomes, including mortality, and nothing in these sources shows that six weeks is enough to build purpose or that any plan adds years.
NIA's own pages say happiness, life satisfaction, and a sense of purpose are all linked to living longer. That statement, like several others from NIA below, comes without study details, so read it as an association.
Activities worth trying
NIA's advice for people who spend a lot of time alone is to take part in activities they find meaningful, ones that create a sense of purpose in daily life. Its examples include a cooking, art, dance, language, or computer class through a local community college or library, or volunteering at a school, library, museum, hospital, or animal shelter.
Older adults who do meaningful things, such as volunteering or being physically active, say they feel happier and healthier, according to NIA. That's how people feel, not proof of what caused it.
No source says how many hours a week of volunteering or classes helps. Our view: pick what you'll want to keep doing, because an activity you look forward to is easier to return to.
Staying connected
NIA's practical suggestion is to schedule time each day to stay in touch with family, friends, and neighbors, in person, by email, social media, voice call, or text. It also says people who share meaningful activities they enjoy feel a sense of purpose and tend to live longer, and that volunteering helps you feel less lonely. A class or volunteer shift with other people is a natural place to combine both. For more, see staying connected after 50 and social health.
Movement and sleep
NIA's general advice for managing stress includes exercising, eating healthy, getting 7 to 9 hours of sleep, and doing activities you enjoy. For activity, the target for adults is at least 150 minutes, or 2 1/2 hours, of moderate-intensity activity each week. The page doesn't say how to build up to that or how to judge effort. A short walk is a way to start, but it doesn't add up to that target on its own. If you have a health condition or haven't been active lately, ask your doctor how to work toward it.
Where to start
After lunch tomorrow, text or call one friend or neighbor, even just to say hello. Write two or three things you might try, such as a library class or a volunteer spot, on a sticky note and put it on the fridge where you'll see it. Once the daily contact feels routine, add one step: call your library or community college and ask what classes or volunteer openings they have. If a day slips by, pick it up again the next day. More ideas are collected in purpose and healthy aging.
When to talk to a doctor
If you feel isolated or lonely a lot of the time, NIA says you may want to tell your doctor or another health care professional. Hearing trouble can make time with others harder, and NIA advises talking with a doctor if you think you might have a hearing problem. In the US, the Eldercare Locator, a referral line for local services, is at 800-677-1116.
