New research from the Pew Research Center finds that older adults spend more than half of their waking hours—seven hours total—alone (excluding time spent in personal activities, like grooming). This compares with fewer than 5 hours alone for those in their 40s and 50s, and three-and-a-half hours for those under 40. For older adults living alone, this rises to more than 10 waking hours a day. The author notes that while alone time isn’t inherently harmful, it can be indicative of risks for social isolation among older adults.
