Loneliness doubled among older adults in first months of COVID-19, poll shows

Staying close to home and avoiding crowded places can help older adults reduce their risk of COVID-19. But a new national poll suggests it comes with a cost, especially for those with health challenges. In June of this year, 56 percent of people over the age of 50 said they sometimes or often felt isolated from others -- more than double the 27 percent who felt that way in a similar poll in 2018