According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, approximately 28 percent of older adults in the United States, or 13.8 million people, live alone. Even before the pandemic, a 2018 survey from the AARP Foundation and the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine showed that 43 percent of adults age 60 and older reported feeling lonely. While not all older adults experience loneliness, according to research compiled by the National Institute on Aging (NIA), there is a risk that the increased isolation imposed by the COVID pandemic can cause or exacerbate cognitive decline, depression, anxiety, and health conditions such as high blood pressure, heart disease, and a weakened immune system.
The good news, however, according to NIA, is that people who engage in “meaningful, productive activities with others tend to live longer, boost their mood, and have a sense of purpose. These activities seem to help maintain their well-being and may improve their cognitive function.” Engaging in the arts is among the meaningful and productive activities that have long been associated with better health outcomes for older adults, as shown by experience and through research. A National Endowment for the Arts-supported study found that arts programs can lead to better health outcomes for older adults, including needing fewer doctor visits and less medication, as well as better mental health and more involvement in overall activities. In addition, the Arts Endowment’s 2014 Health and Retirement Study found that adults engaged in the arts show higher cognitive functioning, lower rates of cognitive decline, lower rates of hypertension, and lower rates of limited physical function.