THE HIDDEN STRUGGLES OF PEOPLE LIVING ALONE WITH DEMENTIA: LONELINESS AND WELLBEING - Vol. 9 - Abstract citation igaf122.881

Sep 28, 2026

The percentage of people living with dementia (PLWD) who live alone in community settings varies across studies. Using the 2022 wave of the NHATS, the analysis identifies how many people living alone with dementia (PLAwD) are present and compares loneliness rates between PLAwD and PLWD. Results show 36.0% of adults 65+ with probable dementia live alone. Among PLAwD, 4.3% report feeling lonely every day and 13.1% most days; among PLWD, 3.7% report daily loneliness and 3.3% most-days loneliness.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages1

Reading Time3 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Study design and data source (NHATS 2022)

Prevalence of living alone with probable dementia

Loneliness rates: PLAwD vs PLWD

Implications for programs and wellbeing

FAQs

What dataset and study wave were used in this analysis?

The study uses the 2022 wave of the National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS).

How many adults 65+ with probable dementia were living alone?

The findings show that 36.0% of adults 65+ with probable dementia were living alone.

How do loneliness rates compare between people living alone with dementia (PLAwD) and people living with dementia (PLWD)?

Among PLAwD, 4.3% report loneliness every day and 13.1% most days of the week. These rates are higher than among PLWD, where 3.7% report daily loneliness and 3.3% most-days loneliness.

What implications does the study draw from the results?

The results suggest a consistent trend of more people with probable dementia living alone, supporting the need for further programs and services. They also reinforce the importance of investigating ways to promote wellbeing for community-dwelling PLWD who may lack care partners.

Sep 28, 2026

Uploaded by Taylor Morgan