That article really struck a chord with me. I'm not elderly (I'm 23) but this year I am housebound a lot of the time, and it's amazing how many of those people I used to go out with and visit and meet up with suddenly don't have time for me any more. Luckily my home is all on one level, and I have a phone line and the internet, and I have family close by, so I've retained a lot of independence, but loneliness is just about the worst part of long-term illness or dependency.