Trajectories of loneliness in later life – Evidence from a 10-year English panel study

The prevalence of loneliness is higher among older people; however, few studies have examined its longitudinal patterns and associated risk factors, particularly social network resources. Using data from six waves of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (2008/09 to 2018/19, N = 4740) and group-based trajectory modelling (GBTM), we identified five groups of loneliness trajectories: three with stable levels (37% “stable low”; 26% “stable medium”; 9% “stable high”) and two with time-varying scores of loneliness (8% “increasing”; 20% “decreasing”). Multinomial regression models and GBTM were used to examine baseline and time-varying factors associated with these trajectories. We created composite measures to capture the presence and key facets of social network resources (including size, support, closeness, and frequency of contact) for four different social relationship domains (partner, children, immediate family, and friends). Our results show that, among those with family or friends, older people with higher social network resources and those who maintained or improved them over time reported lower levels of loneliness. Findings also suggest that all social relationship domains contributed to feelings of loneliness in later life. Also, we find that respondents in poor health and depressed, as well as those whose health deteriorated over time, were more likely to have stable high or increasing levels of loneliness. The study highlights the need to investigate loneliness from a life course perspective, account for the complexity of social relationships in later life beyond their mere presence or absence, and include their quality and quantity as well as multiple domains of family and intergenerational relationships.