Soldato
Of course, his giving up started it, but his loneliness is what ultimately led to the deterioration of his mind and body. No doubt had he more company he would have maintained better. The proof for that was there, when I spent a full day with him he was reciting stuff really easily when usually his mind was at a complete loss (he couldn't figure if I was his grandson or cousin most of the time). Then there is the fact that company leads to better diet and possibility of exercise.i'd say the giving up part was the pertinent part, not the lonely part. this is a key point; loneliness isn't exactly cancer on the untreatable scale of things so i'm bemused as to why it's becoming an "epidemic", especially for the older generation who are far more used to socialising than the younger ones who virtually live on their phones/media accounts.