Alone but not lonely

Research shows a taste for solitude can protect against loneliness

- Akshita Nanda

Mr Ricky Law knows that living alone can trigger negative thoughts and depression. "But I live alone and I'm not lonely at all. Living alone doesn't mean you can't be happy," says the 69-year-old lecturer in digital marketing.

Mr Law has never married and his longest live-in relationship lasted seven years. He says he did not choose to end up living alone, but since things have worked out this way, he finds ways to enjoy his solitude.

Over Chinese New Year, he had an accident while playing ping-pong with friends. He was warded in hospital for two months, and now walks with mobility aids such as a walker or cane.

He is a permanent resident here and his family is in Hong Kong. Rather than find live-in help during his time of need, he engaged a physiotherapist to show him how to use the kitchen at home and how to navigate obstacles while taking public transport.

More older adults in Singapore are living alone like Mr Law, which leads to concerns over them finding support during emergencies or when they are ill. There is also the risk of seniors feeling lonely or becoming socially isolated, which affects physical and mental health.

At the same time, there is a difference between being alone and being lonely or socially isolated.

Researchers from the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) recently found that solitude or living alone may not lead to negative health outcomes.

Loneliness — not solitude — is related to poorer health and emotional experiences, according to the study Ageing In Solitude: Perception And Health Among Older Adults, published on the SIT website in March.

Mr Law's experience shows how living alone need not be a negative experience.

He takes pride in being self-sufficient at home. And during his two months in hospital, he had visitors every day. Some were his ping-pong buddies, others were from the Sunshine Seniors informal social network he set up around two years ago.