SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY – The number of senior citizens who live alone in the San Joaquin Valley has grown by more than 30% since 2012, adding to a population at increased risk to both physical and mental health. That amounts to more than one in five Valley residents over the age of 65 living with no spouse, family or significant other.
According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau, almost 122,000 men and women age 65 and older live alone across Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, Merced, San Joaquin, Stanislaus and Tulare counties.
In a region where there are already proportionally fewer geriatricians – physicians with specialized training in caring for older people – than California as a whole, research indicates senior citizens living on their own face higher health risks as they encounter more chronic health problems, become more fragile with age, and may confront issues such as cognitive or memory problems…