In the dusk of their lives, it seems that the elderly in the city sorely miss a supporting hand.

And in an ironic twist, it’s the women who feel lonelier than men owing to their higher life expectancy.

A recent study conducted by Department of Community Medicine, Government Medical College and Hospital in Sector 32, found that 72.8 per cent of females suffer from loneliness as compared to 65.6 per cent males.

Published in the Indian Journal of Community Medicine, the study surveyed 361 individuals (152 males, 209 females) in the age group of 65 to 92 years in Chandigarh.

Longevity was stated as the primary reason behind loneliness as the study found that those living with their spouse fared better on the loneliness scale.

“Contributory factors for higher loneliness in females were loss of companion, illiteracy, less social contacts and maltreatment by family members,” notes the study.

Also, the study found that loneliness was more prevalent among persons who lived alone (92.2 per cent) as compared to those living with their spouse (58.9per cent) or family (61.4per cent).

It was higher among widows (85.2 per cent) and widowers (75.8 per cent) who lived with the family as compared to those sharing house with a spouse (58.9 per cent).

Also, it is not just loneliness affecting elderly women but also other ailments as well. Incidence of illness was higher in females (59.5 per cent) than males (40.5 per cent).