In the U.S., 27% of adults ages 60 and older live alone. That’s more than in any other country, according to a Pew Research Center survey of 130 nations, which found that globally only 16% of older folks live solo.

Given how many older people live alone — and the increase in isolation this past year — it’s not surprising that 25% of Americans who are 65 or older fall each year, and that every 11 seconds an older adult is treated in the emergency room for a fall.

Every 19 minutes, an older adult dies from a fall.

A recent study by researchers from University College in London, published in Scientific Reports, found people 50 or older who live alone have an 18% greater risk of reporting a fall, and older people with the least social contact have a 24% higher risk of a fall compared to those who have the most social interaction. 

What accounts for the correlation between being alone and falling?

Theories include the fact that you become less focused when you're not interacting with others; that loneliness can cause depression, which can increase carelessness; and that you may become more sedentary if you live alone, weakening your muscles and impairing balance.

This is another reason why it's essential to interact with the world daily through online courses, video and audio chats, and volunteering if you can’t do it in person.

The emotional rewards are enormous, and you may reduce your risk of a bone-busting fall that will damage the quality of your life, or even shorten it.