By: ELHEALDO ELHEO.CO
The soledad, An issue that we generally relate older adults, is something that affects different generations in Colombia. It manifests itself in different ways and depend largely on the social and economic.
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In an analysis of the OBS Business School They emphasize that, according to a recent Met-Galup survey, the lowest feeling rates of loneliness are registered among older adults (65 years or older), where the 17 % feel very or quite alonewhile the highest rates of feeling of loneliness are recorded among young adults (from 19 to 29 years old), where 27 % feel very or quite alone.
According to him national Administrative Department of Statistics (DANE), in 2023, 14.5 % of the Colombian population had 60 years or more. This responds to a worldwide trend that Colombia follows and is something that is expected to continue increasing in the coming years.
Eduardo Irastorza, Professor of Obsass School and author of the report “The loneliness business in developed societies” He points out that “we must keep in mind the problem of housing in old age. At the cost of this, either for rent or maintenance, we must add assistance, dependence, mobility, the company, among other variables; in short, the human need to feel attended, care and dear.”
The analysis highlights that many companies in Colombia are currently offering innovative solutions to serve the older population as personal assistance services, Cleaning, Catering, Company, Purchasing Management and specialized medical care. Residential complexes have also been developed that seek to provide quality of life to the elderly, in what Irastorza calls “authentic residences 2.0”. In addition to these services, a business model that is impacting this generation is the senior cohousing, in Latin America, the most booming countries are Argentina, Uruguay and Colombia.
Another of the items to have as in the country in terms of loneliness and the elderly population is the increase of unipersonal households. According to projections based on the 2018 DANE census, it is estimated that by 2025 there will be approximately 3.7 million households made up of a single person, representing 20 % of the national total. By 2035, this figure could exceed 6.5 million, reaching 27.8 % of the total households.
“Sentimental stability is increasingly solid and conditioned by the new lifestyles. The prioritization of the search for happiness, a more nomadic and global professional life, are some of the factors that contribute to more and more people alone in society,” he says about this iRastorza.
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“The mobile has become its true Umbilical cord with reality. Leaving home without him supposes for young people to lose their connection with the immediate, with the relevant, with the most vital for them, ”explains Irastorza, in that youth faces the loneliness in particular ways.
He added: “It is curious that the advice and occurrences of opinion leaders on the other side of the planet come to have more weight for young people than those of their own relatives.”
Pets have taken an important role and role in the lives of many Colombians. According to the report “Insights pets 2024 ″ by People Media, 57% of households in Colombia have at least one pet. Of these, of these, of these, of these, 71 % are canines and 51 % felines. An interesting fact of this issue is that the last five years have invested around 3 billion pesos in food and pet items, with a 49 % increase in sales through electronic commerce and 20 % in physical stores in the last year.
-“Pets accompany the loneliness of many people of all ages, social classes and genres. Frequently, the emotional bond that develops with them becomes more powerful than the one who feels towards some people,” explains Irastorza.
According to the Irastorza report, these are the key points on how loneliness will evolve in the coming decades:
● All sectors, without exception, will end up recognizing and taking advantage of the huge business derived from unwanted loneliness.
● West, with its increasingly aging population, will continue to take the palm in the seriousness of this big problem.
● Euthanasia will become one of The first causes of deatheven encouragement with government campaigns so as not to ballast the budgets dedicated to social security.
● Spirituality, in all its forms, will charge greater relevance in society, driven by both traditional referents and new voices that emerge strongly.
● Unwanted loneliness will be felt from earlier ages and will lead to chronic health problems.
● Artificial intelligence (AI) will contribute to Identify our ideal company (…) or create it.
● The family will become the most reliable guarantee to face a broken world in pensions and affection.
● A legion of new professions, some still to be discovered, will be created to face this huge problem.
● Pets will be increasingly popular and their rights will be universally recognized. Among them, to force their owners to overcome demanding exams.
● The true friendship, love and loyalty They will consider the greatest wealth.
“Loneliness is a multifaceted phenomenon that affects various generations in Colombia. From the increase in unipersonal homes to the growing importance of pets, through the business opportunities that arise to meet these needs, it is essential to address this issue from multiple perspectives to guarantee the well -being of the population and the new professions will have to meet a population and audience with more needs for the consequences of the age,” the analysis ends.
