OLDER Australians without close family connections are significantly more likely to experience loneliness, new research from Monash University has found, highlighting a growing challenge as the nation’s population ages.
The study examined how different family structures influence loneliness among people aged 65 and over, both in the community and in long term care.
It found the absence of partners or children sharply increases the risk of severe loneliness, even when formal care services are in place.
Lead researcher Pei-Chun Ko, from Monash University’s School of Social Sciences, said family relationships provide a level of emotional and social support that formal systems cannot replace.
“Even when practical needs are met, the absence of close family ties leaves a gap that formal care alone cannot fill,” Dr Ko said.
The research drew on data from two major national surveys, tracking changes in loneliness as family circumstances shifted and comparing outcomes across care settings.
Participants were grouped into four categories: those with both a partner and children, those with a partner only, those with children only, and those with neither.
Among older Australians living in the community, losing access to children while retaining a partner was linked to the largest increase in loneliness over time.
The finding suggests intergenerational connections may play a more important role than previously understood.
A similar pattern emerged in long term care. Older people with children but no partner were twice as likely to experience severe loneliness as those with both.
Those without either partners or children faced the highest risk, with rates nearly three times greater.
The study comes as Australia confronts rising levels of social isolation among older people, alongside increasing demand for aged care services.
Researchers say the findings underline the need for targeted support, particularly for those without close family networks.
“Screening for loneliness and building social connection must be a priority,” Dr Ko said.
The study was published in Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics.