10 Déc 2025
Loneliness and social isolation in later life: prevalence, causes, and societal responses
Lecture by Stefano Cavalli
SUPSI Centre of Competence on Ageing
Discussant: Prof. Oana Ciobanu (HETSL)
For several years, at the SUPSI Centre of Competence on Ageing, we have been studying loneliness and social isolation in later life, as well as the links between these two phenomena. This presentation will review our main findings, discuss their implications, and outline promising future directions for research. We will first address the challenges of measuring loneliness and social isolation among older adults in Switzerland and outline possible scenarios for developing a national loneliness barometer. We will then explore the causes of loneliness and ask why some socially isolated older adults do not feel lonely, while others experience loneliness despite being surrounded by others. Finally, we will consider current Swiss initiatives promoting social inclusion in later life and highlight the need to assess their effectiveness.
Stefano Cavalli holds a PhD in Sociology from the University of Geneva and is Professor of Life Course and Ageing at the University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland (SUPSI), where he heads the Centre of Competence on Ageing. He previously worked as a researcher at the University of Geneva’s Center for Interdisciplinary Gerontology and as a senior lecturer in sociology at the Universities of Lausanne and Geneva. His research focuses on transitions and life events across the life course, social exclusion in old age, centenarians, and autobiographical memory. He has been involved in several national and international studies, including the CEVI program, SWILSOO, VLV, SWISS100, and AGE-INT.
Venue
10 December 2025
13:30 - 15:00
Pinchat (UNIGE)
Chemin de Pinchat 22
1227, Carouge
Room 003
Join us for finger food and a friendly gathering before the talk!
Contact: charikleia.lampraki@unige.ch