Loneliness, social isolation and social exclusion are important social determinants and risk factors of ill health among older people. They affect all aspects of health and well-being, including mental health, the risk of maltreatment and the risk of emergency admission to hospital for avoidable conditions, such as severe dehydration or malnutrition. In all countries, older women have a higher risk of social isolation than older men.
Depression among older people is frequently undiagnosed. Its prevalence in those over 65 in the European Region is estimated at 2–15%. Mental health support, including preventive action, is a vital, often neglected, aspect of medical and social attention to older people.