{"id":370629,"date":"2026-06-22T21:11:20","date_gmt":"2026-06-22T21:11:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/370629\/"},"modified":"2026-06-22T21:11:20","modified_gmt":"2026-06-22T21:11:20","slug":"about-one-of-five-valley-seniors-live-alone-whats-that-mean-for-physical-mental-health","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/370629\/","title":{"rendered":"About one of five Valley seniors live alone. What\u2019s that mean for physical, mental health?"},"content":{"rendered":"

This story was originally published by The Intersection<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The number of senior citizens who live alone in the San Joaquin Valley has grown by more than 30% since 2012, adding to a population at increased risk to both physical and mental health. That amounts to almost one out of four Valley residents over the age of 65 living with no spouse, family or significant other.<\/p>\n

According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau, almost 122,000 men and women age 65 and older live alone across Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, Merced, San Joaquin, Stanislaus and Tulare counties. That amounts to more than one out of every five seniors in the region.<\/p>\n

In a region where there are already proportionally fewer geriatricians \u2013 physicians with specialized training in caring for older people \u2013 than California as a whole<\/a>, research indicates senior citizens living on their own face higher health risks as they encounter more chronic health problems, become more fragile with age, and may confront issues such as cognitive or memory problems.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor seniors living alone, this can make them especially vulnerable to accidents and hazards in or around the home,\u201d wrote Mark Nathanson, MD, a geriatric psychiatrist and clinical professor at Columbia University in New York, in a 2024 article. \u201cAdditionally, the fear of not being able to do things independently can take a toll on a senior\u2019s mental health and self-esteem.\u201d<\/p>\n

Those points were underscored by Dr. Alex Sherriffs, a physician who specializes in geriatric medicine with the UCSF Fresno medical education program, and by Amanda Nugent Divine, CEO of Kings View Behavioral Health in Fresno.<\/p>\n

\u201cAging alone absolutely increases poor health outcomes,\u201d Sherriffs said in an interview with the Central Valley Journalism Collaborative. \u201cThere\u2019s like a 30% increase in cardiovascular disease by virtue of living alone, a 50% increase in dementia, and a 32% increase in stroke.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nugent Divine, who holds master\u2019s and doctorate degrees in psychology, emphasized the mental health concerns for solo agers.<\/p>\n

\u201cAging alone is dangerous. It\u2019s bad for the brain,\u201d she said in an interview with CVJC. \u201cThe aging process itself is so rigorous, it can be so hard on people that it definitely can tax underlying mental health issues\u201d including depression, anxiety and loneliness.<\/p>\n

Sherriffs said seniors living alone in the Valley is becoming more common. As regional demographics and values change, families are becoming smaller. Adult children often move away from their hometown to launch their own lives and families, and there are more older people living alone because they\u2019re widowed or divorced.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut it doesn\u2019t mean we should be lonely,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

Among the Valley\u2019s solo-aging population, women outnumber men by more than 35,000. In several counties, including Fresno, San Joaquin and Stanislaus counties, the margin of women to men who live alone is about two to one.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is, first and foremost, an older women\u2019s issue, because women outlive men and because they\u2019re less likely to remarry after being widowed or divorcing,\u201d reported KFF Health News, an independent, nonprofit health information and research organization, in a 2024 article<\/a>. \u201cTwenty-seven percent of women ages 65 to 74 live alone, compared with 21% of men. After age 75, an astonishing 43% of women live alone, compared with only 24% for men.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"chart<\/p>\n

Additionally, KFF Health News reported in 2024<\/a> that almost 40% of seniors living alone have issues with vision or hearing deficiencies, cognitive problems or other disabilities that challenge their capacity to live independently and care for themselves.<\/p>\n

For someone facing such challenges on their own, there\u2019s no one else in the household available to help, or to call for help, in the wake of an accident, injury or illness. Think of those often lampooned but deadly serious television commercials from past decades: \u201cI\u2019ve fallen and I can\u2019t get up.\u201d<\/p>\n

Falls and other physical dangers<\/p>\n

\u201cFalls can absolutely be deadly\u201d for seniors, said Sherriffs. \u201cLess than half of people who break a hip are alive in a year.\u201d<\/p>\n

Frailty and a lack of mobility can combine to make a person a shut-in, leading to a diminished quality of life, Sherriffs added, and an elder who is living on his or her own must navigate without help to around the house, around the clutter of furniture or around rugs that create a tripping hazard that can lead to more falls.<\/p>\n

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control reported earlier this year that falls are a leading cause of injury<\/a> for adults ages 65 and older, and are among the leading causes of both fatal and nonfatal injuries among senior citizens.<\/p>\n

In the San Joaquin Valley, the CDC\u2019s mortality database reveals that accidental falls were listed as a contributing factor to more than 2,200 deaths among people ages 65 and older across the eight-county region from 2018 through 2025.<\/p>\n

Other accidental household mishaps, including drowning and poisoning from medications, were also significant factors in senior deaths in the region.<\/p>\n

The physical danger to seniors goes beyond falling and other injuries.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re living longer, Sherriffs said. \u201cThat gives us the opportunity to live with more chronic disease.\u201d<\/p>\n

As people age, they often are dealing with more health conditions and find themselves managing multiple prescriptions for medications. Most drugs call for a certain dose at certain times, and keeping them straight can be tricky.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe ability for us to take the medication correctly, if we have two medicines, it falls by half,\u201d Sheriffs said, and is more complicated with each additional medication. \u201cNow add in if the doctor says, \u2018I want you to take this one on an empty stomach and this one on a full stomach,\u2019 which may be the best way to take those medications, it gets impractical really fast.\u201d<\/p>\n

Seniors\u2019 ability to feed themselves is also a significant concern. In the San Joaquin Valley, nutritional deficiencies are among the leading causes of death for people ages 65 and older, according to federal mortality data.<\/p>\n

\u201cNutrition is huge because it comes back to frailty, it comes back to falls,\u201d Sherriffs said. \u201cWe know nutrition is important in terms of cardiovascular health, our risk of diabetes, and more.\u201d<\/p>\n

Emotional and mental health<\/p>\n

In addition to the physical risks of living alone as one ages, there is also a significant potential for depression and isolation, particularly for seniors who are widowed or divorced, have no children or family nearby or no longer have the ability or desire to drive.<\/p>\n

Census Bureau estimates indicate that in 2024, more than 22% of the Valley\u2019s senior citizens were widowed, while more than 16% were divorced or separated. About 6% had never married.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen someone loses a spouse or goes through divorce, it is important that they, from the beginning, have somebody that cares about them, that can pay attention,\u201d Kings View\u2019s Nugent Divine said. \u201cWe can say to them, \u2018Hey, let me know if it gets bad and I don\u2019t recognize it.\u2019 Because when we\u2019re in the throes of depression, our sensibilities are distorted.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nugent Divine said that people are wired to be in relationships, and human connections are particularly important as we age.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe need a partner in aging, and whether that\u2019s a romantic spouse or not is irrelevant,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s really more about, do we have a close relationship with our kids, or do we have a buddy or friend that we can age with, an \u2018aging buddy.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think it matters if it\u2019s in the same household,\u201d Nugent Divine added. \u201cIt\u2019s just that when we\u2019re in the same household, we notice, like, if there\u2019s food in the fridge. But you can have an aging buddy who is not in the same household, but you see them every day.\u201d<\/p>\n

Such a network of people \u2013 whether family, neighbors or close friends \u2013 is something that both Sherriffs and Nugent Divine said is important for seniors who are aging alone. Living alone, they said, does not necessarily mean being lonely.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know, many people who are living alone, they like it, they like the independence,\u201d Sheriffs said. \u201cThey appreciate that they can do it in their time: wake up when they want, do this now, do that later. That\u2019s fine.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s when being alone becomes lonely that it\u2019s bad for our health, it\u2019s bad for cardiovascular health,\u201d he added. \u201cIt puts us at risk for dementia when \u2026being alone becomes lonely.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nugent Divine offered similar thoughts.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou could be not lonely, living at home alone, yes,\u201d she said. \u201cGo out and meet friends for coffee, you know, once a week, twice a week. Those are the people who know you, they know who you are, they see you, and that may be enough for you. It\u2019s a different amount for each person.\u201d<\/p>\n

Community resources and connections<\/p>\n

Where one lives can affect the availability of resources and services that aging adults can access when they\u2019re living on their own, and complicate their ability to create the types of personal networks or relationships that prevent being alone from becoming lonely.<\/p>\n

\u201cI cringe when somebody in their 60s or 70s is talking about building their dream home in the foothills because this is an interaction of a time of life where we\u2019re likely to need more assistance, more social service, more access to health care, and we\u2019re moving to a place that\u2019s farther away from that,\u201d Sherriffs said.<\/p>\n

Facilities such as community senior centers are also an important resource for seniors who have the ability to get to them and who may not have the money to live in a long-term care facility or to pay for professional in-home care.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think [senior centers are] incredibly, incredibly important, because most people can\u2019t afford options that are available to very few,\u201d Nugent Divine said. \u201cMost people are going to be isolated if they don\u2019t have a community center. \u2026 I think that\u2019s part of what the county and the community has a responsibility, to provide those options.\u201d<\/p>\n

In the city of Fresno, for example, there are numerous community centers that include programs and activities for senior citizens among their many offerings. But the region\u2019s largest city \u2013 also the fifth most populous city in the state \u2013 does not yet have a dedicated senior center.<\/p>\n

In mid-2022, the city purchased property along Blackstone Avenue, one of Fresno\u2019s main commercial corridors, for the development of a state-of-the-art senior center<\/a> at the site of a former grocery supermarket. At that time, optimistic cost estimates were about $25 million, with an equally optimistic opening date in 2025.<\/p>\n

As with many public projects, Fresno\u2019s route to a senior center had had some bumps. A construction contract was awarded last summer for about $41 million. Grading of the site is now underway, and the opening date is now anticipated for the summer of 2027.<\/p>\n

But to Sherriffs\u2019 point, while many smaller cities have community centers or even dedicated senior activity centers, smaller, far-flung unincorporated communities in the region may have few, if any, resources to support those who are aging alone.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you don\u2019t have a network, if you\u2019re truly solo, well, you need to think about ways to build a network, because that\u2019s much more satisfying and successful,\u2026\u201d Sherriffs said. \u201cWe need a buddy system. \u2026 You can make an arrangement that they\u2019ll call once a day and check in, and if you don\u2019t answer the phone, then they\u2019ll call the appropriate number that you gave them, which might be a family member somewhere, might be the police or whatever.\u201d<\/p>\n

Companionship from pets<\/p>\n

Not every connection needs to be a human one. For many seniors who live alone, a pet can become a valuable companion to help stave off loneliness \u2013 provided they can properly care for it.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think pets can be life saving,\u201d Nugent Divine said. \u201cI know some people feel like, \u2018Oh my gosh, \u2018it\u2019s just an animal, it\u2019s just a dog,\u2019 but oh my gosh, they really can fill that void in a lot of ways.\u201d<\/p>\n

A dog or cat, \u201cis just an unconditional source of affection and care, and companionship,\u201d she added. \u201cI think pets are wonderful.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWonderful\u201d is the same word Sherriffs used to describe the benefits of pets for seniors who live on their own.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s an important social interaction,\u201d he said. \u201cI can\u2019t say enough good about it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Still, he added, pets cannot completely replace the need for human interactions.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe pet\u2019s not going to pick up the phone and call 9-1-1 if you call down and there\u2019s nobody around,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\"An<\/p>\n

Photo: George Hodan, publicdomainpictures.net under Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Public Domain license<\/p>\n

An aging woman sits alone on a park bench in this photo illustration. <\/p>\n

Resources for seniors<\/p>\n

Counties up and down the San Joaquin Valley have agencies that provide information, resources and services for senior citizens, from nutrition and Meals on Wheels programs to financial and insurance counseling, health counseling and more. Those agencies They include:<\/p>\n

Fresno and Madera counties: Fresno-Madera Area Agency on Aging, phone (559) 214-0299, online\u00a0www.fmaaa.org\/<\/a>Kern County: Kern County Aging & Adult Services, phone (661) 868-1000, online\u00a0www.kerncounty.com\/government\/aging-adult-services<\/a>Kings and Tulare counties: Kings\/Tulare Area Agency on Aging, phone (800) 321-2462, online\u00a0ktaaa.org\/<\/a>Merced County: Merced County Adult and Aging Services, phone (209) 385-3000, online\u00a0www.countyofmerced.com\/451\/Adult-and-Aging<\/a>; Merced County Area Agency on Aging, phone (209) 385-7550, online\u00a0www.countyofmerced.com\/1475\/Area-Agency-on-Aging<\/a>San Joaquin County: San Joaquin County Department of Aging & Community Services, phone 209-468-1104, online\u00a0www.sjchsa.org\/Aging-Community<\/a>Stanislaus County: Stanislaus County Aging & Veterans Services, phone (209) 558-8698, online\u00a0www.stancounty.com\/aging\/<\/a><\/p>\n

Tim Sheehan is the Health Care Reporting Fellow at the nonprofit\u00a0Central Valley Journalism Collaborative<\/a>. The fellowship is supported by a grant from the\u00a0Fresno State Institute for Media and Public Trust<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"This story was originally published by The Intersection. The number of senior citizens who live alone in the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":370630,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[381,112,114,113,1570,2093,5912],"class_list":["post-370629","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-fresno","tag-aging","tag-fresno","tag-fresno-headlines","tag-fresno-news","tag-health","tag-mental-health","tag-san-joaquin-valley"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/370629","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=370629"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/370629\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/370630"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=370629"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=370629"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=370629"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}