The world is witnessing a rise in aging rates, and social death is a sad phenomenon.

Social death is a sad phenomenon                                                           

Social death: A sad phenomenon for the elderly in France.

The extreme isolation experienced by the elderly in France has increased by 150 percent in eight years. 750,000 elderly people are now in a situation described on Tuesday by the association Les Petits Frères des Pauvres (Les Petits Frères des Pauvres) as "social dying," as they encounter almost no one.

These people, who represent 4 percent of France's estimated 18 million people over the age of 60, have no contact with family, friends, surroundings, or even associations, according to a study conducted by the CSA Institute in April on behalf of Les Petits Frères des Pauvres.

 Since 2017, a similar study has been conducted every four years to measure the isolation of the elderly based on these four social life circles. The number of elderly people facing "social dying" has increased by 42 percent compared to the last report, issued in 2021, amid the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2017, the number was around 300,000.

"I never married or had children. I took great care of my parents, and when they died, I found myself in a state of great isolation," said Michelle S., an 83-year-old former trainer at a multinational company. She admitted to turning to alcohol. Her social activities are limited to an occasional phone call to a friend in the countryside and a once-a-month outing with her neighbors.

Daniel, 77, has been experiencing isolation since his wife's death in 2021. A former chemical technician at a food company, he said, "Neither my sister nor I have children. My friends have health problems, and I've lost contact with them." 

The increased isolation of the elderly is attributed to demographic aging and the severing of social ties during the COVID-19 crisis. According to Les Petits Frères des Pauvres, the most vulnerable groups have yet to regain their previous habits.

Around 1.5 million elderly people do not meet their children or grandchildren at all or barely meet them, compared to 470,000 in 2017, according to the report. In addition, there are 3.2 million elderly people who have no children or grandchildren. 

In 2022, the suicide rate among those aged 85 to 94 was 35.2 per 100,000 people, double the rate among the rest of the population. The association pointed to a series of factors that increase social isolation, most notably the lack of close family, lack of internet access, limited income, and loss of independence.