An Australian study has found that older adults with poor social health—who also have low social support and are isolated—were 42 percent more likely to develop cardiovascular disease (CVD), and twice as likely to die from it. The study’s authors define low social support as having a circle of four or less relatives or close friends to reach out to for help or discuss private matters. Social isolation includes engaging in community activities less than once a month and having contact with four or less relatives and close friends per month. Lead author and Heart Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow Rosanne Freak-Poli from the Monash School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, said changing demographics may be increasing cardiovascular ailments such as heart disease, heart attacks, and stroke. “The ageing population presents a challenge of supporting older adults to maintain a healthy, fulfilling, independent and community-dwelling life for longer,” Freak-Poli said in a …