Preparing for the death of your partner can feel difficult, but having someone you love die before you is a risk you have to live with.
News24 has spoken to Viktorija Milosevska, senior physician in psychiatry, who tells us that older people are most vulnerable when their life partner passes away.
But what risks can loneliness lead to?
DO NOT MISS: Bad pension? How to reduce anxiety about the economy: “Difficult”
How to deal with loneliness as a pensioner
Nyheter24 has previously spoken to Viktorija Milosevska about the importance of being active as a pensioner. She then explained that many older Swedes feel lonely after they retire, because they lose their work context.
– Often you are happy to retire, but a few years later the anxiety comes. Then you have lost the routines you had in working life. When you’re still working, you don’t think about it as much, but structure is important for all people, Viktorija Milosevska said at the time.
She believes that many people forget to nurture their interests during their working life, which leads to an inability to make their everyday life worthwhile when they stop working. In order to avoid ending up in a passive cycle, Viktorija Milosevska then advised to create her own routines.
– You have to get up early, shower and get dressed. Maybe read the newspaper and drink a cup of coffee like you did before retirement. Then you have to do something mentally.
Pensioners can feel depressed when they stop working, says Viktorija Milosevska. Photo: Janerik Henriksson/TT
READ MORE: Pensioner? How to deal with loneliness: “The phone doesn’t ring”
How can pensioners be affected when their partner dies?
But what do you do if it’s not work that you miss, but a life partner who has passed away?
Grief can be difficult to deal with, and according to Viktorija Milosevska, loneliness can also be harmful to the pensioner.
The risks are both physical and psychological, she believes.
– Older pensioners often fail when their partner dies. You are more exposed socially. They can end up in a deep depression, but also more illnesses, she tells Nyheter24 and continues:
– Involuntary loneliness increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases, dementia and heart attacks. You don’t stimulate your brain when you don’t have someone to talk to in the same way.
“Loneliness increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases, dementia and heart attacks,” says Viktorija Milosevska. Photo: Annette ORiordan
READ MORE:
The Expert: It’s okay to be angry when you’re grieving
Pensioner? This is how fraudsters trick you out of money
The expert: You shouldn’t say that to someone who is grieving