Joseph CascianiGeropsychologist, Consultant, Public Speaking, Freelance · Podcast Host of the Living to 100 Club | Clinical Strategies for Senior Residential Settings & Lifestyle Directors | Geropsychologist | Keynote Speaker

Finding a New Relationship as an Antidote to Loneliness with Dr. Gloria Horsley & Dr. Frank Powers

10 Jan 2025 · 1 min

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Dr. Gloria Horsley and Dr. Frank Powers discuss how loneliness after losing a spouse raises the risk of illness and death, with widowed people facing a particularly vulnerable six-month window. They note that widows often hide their loneliness to seem strong, but most people fare better health-wise in supportive relationships.

Loneliness is an issue. It's a big issue. And you do live longer and usually happier if you're in relationship.
I mean, the statistics of people dying after a spouse dying are very high, or, you know, coming down with illness.
Really, it's 6 months for a long-term relationship.
One of the things that I find with women is that, and families, is that your kids will say, oh, she's really happy. My mother lives alone and she's striving. And like it's some kind of a badge of courage and medal. And she's happy. Well, of course she's happy when she sees them. What are you gonna do? You're gonna go to dinner with them and say, I am lonely, I am miserable. You're gonna—
you gotta find me somebody quick. So whenever you cover that, of course you cover that.
Whenever you see these widows, they're happy because you're seeing them because they want you to be.
And they don't wanna be a drag, so they, they kind of fake it most times. Uh, I mean, there are of course people that are happy on their own and have a very fulfilled and wonderful life. However, for most of us, we do better if we in relationship.
And I mean, guys are dying 2 years after their wives.