7% of people aged over 50 feel lonely

More than one in 20 people over 50 often feel lonely, according to the first report measuring progress on the State’s strategy on positive ageing.

Junior Minister for Older People, Helen McEntee, yesterday launched “Positive Ageing 2016”, the first National Positive Ageing Indicators report.

Among its findings, the report stated that 7.1% of people aged over 50 often feel lonely, and warned chronic loneliness “can have a negative impact on physical and mental health, increasing the risk of depression, cognitive decline and mortality”.