The dream of retiring to a sunny beach town in Mexico or a quaint village in Spain carries a hidden cost that many don’t anticipate: increased social isolation, according to new research published in the journal Psychology and Aging.
While international retirement migration continues to grow in popularity across Europe, North America, and Asia, researchers have discovered that retirees who move abroad experience significantly higher levels of social loneliness compared to those who remain in their home countries.
“International retirement migration is increasingly popular in Europe and around the world. On social media you see all the people in Europe sunbathing in Spain, American retirees are moving to Mexico and Japanese retirees to Malaysia,” said study lead author Esma Betül Savaş of the Netherlands Interdisciplinary Demographics Institute. “Although these retirement migrants generally report being happy, they may still face struggles adapting to a new country.”
The comprehensive study compared nearly 5,000 Dutch retirees living abroad with approximately 1,300 who remained in the Netherlands. To qualify for the study, participants had to be over 65 and to have relocated after turning 50.
Researchers distinguished between two forms of loneliness in their analysis: emotional loneliness, which stems from the absence of intimate relationships like close friendships or partnerships, and social loneliness, which reflects a lack of broader community connections.
The findings revealed that retirement migrants experienced more social loneliness than their stay-at-home counterparts, despite typically enjoying better health and higher socioeconomic status—factors that usually correlate with reduced loneliness.
Interestingly, most retirement migrants didn’t report higher levels of emotional loneliness compared to non-migrants. The researchers attribute this to the fact that many retirees relocate with a spouse or partner, maintaining that crucial close relationship.
However, when retirement migrants lost touch with good friends and family from their homeland, they suffered from both social and emotional loneliness. Conversely, those who developed stronger connections with neighbors and felt a greater sense of belonging in their new country reported less social isolation.
“Older adults may face double jeopardy in retiring to a new country as they are vulnerable to both age-related and migration-related risk factors for loneliness, and loneliness is itself a risk factor for adverse health outcomes,” Savaş explained. “It’s important for people considering retirement migration to think about how they can maintain their social ties in their origin country and make new ones in their destination country.”
The research highlights a potential dark side to what’s often portrayed as an idyllic lifestyle change. While social media platforms showcase sun-drenched retirees enjoying lower costs of living and warmer climates, the daily reality can include challenges in forming new social networks and maintaining connections with adult children and lifelong friends.
This study comes at a time when many countries are experiencing aging populations and increasing international mobility among retirees. The findings suggest that retirement planning should extend beyond financial considerations to include strategies for social connection and community integration.
Mental health experts recommend that those considering international retirement take steps to preserve existing relationships through regular video calls and visits, while actively working to build new social circles through community activities, language learning, and engagement with both expatriate and local communities.
Public health officials and policymakers in popular retirement destinations may also want to consider developing programs specifically aimed at helping foreign retirees integrate into their new communities and combat social isolation.
As retirement migration continues to grow globally, understanding these social and emotional challenges becomes increasingly important for ensuring that the golden years abroad truly live up to retirees’ expectations of paradise.
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