91探花

A new study from University of 91探花 sociologists has found loneliness among older Alberta adults has decreased since the COVID-19 pandemic, but a quarter to almost a third of that population still feel markers of loneliness. 

, PhD, a professor, and Fahimeh Mehrabi, a PhD candidate, both in the , conducted the Finances, Aging, and Daily Expenses Study in January 2026, in association with the Angus Reid Group. The study was a followup to one they did in 2022.

They surveyed older adults (aged 65 to 85) in Alberta, asking them about their experiences of three indicators of loneliness. 

鈥淲e asked three questions about lack of companionship, feeling isolated and feeling left out,鈥� says Mehrabi. 

These three questions are commonly used to measure loneliness in surveys across the world. The researchers compared the 2026 results to responses to the same questions that had been asked of older Albertans in 2022. 

What they found was all three dimensions of loneliness were down from 2022. However, nearly three in 10 older Albertans reported feeling isolated, and one in four reported feeling left out or lacking companionship. 

Lack of companionship had the largest improvement over the four years, likely due to the lifting of COVID-era restrictions. Feeling left out and feeling isolated were dimensions that showed more resistance to change.

鈥淓ssentially, older adults in Alberta are gaining social connections following the pandemic, but what they鈥檙e not gaining is a quality of social connections,鈥� says Bierman. 鈥淭hey still feel this sense of isolation, even knowing they鈥檙e more socially connected.鈥�

Bierman says there may be a bedrock of older adults in Alberta who feel lonely, no matter the context. Therefore, policymakers need to find a way to promote not just connection among this population, but quality connection. 

鈥淲hen people feel like they matter to those in their lives, that鈥檚 when loneliness is reduced,鈥� says Bierman. 鈥淲e need to create atmospheres and events where people feel like they have honest and sustained social connection with others.鈥�

It will be that ongoing feeling of social connectedness which could reduce those feelings of loneliness. 

Mehrabi points to social media campaigns during the pandemic that raised awareness of loneliness among older people. She says those campaigns should be continued. 

鈥淲e should make sure older adults can benefit from these efforts, even during non-crisis times,鈥� she says.

Read more on these findings in the recent paper published by the .