Senior Spotlight: The US Surgeon General’s Advisory On Loneliness & Isolation

When you think of loneliness and isolation, you may think of older adults who are no longer experiencing daily interactions in the workforce or whose children and grandchildren live far away. However, the 2023 Surgeon General’s Advisory on ‘Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation’ reveals some surprising statistics on who is impacted and how.

Research proves that there is a clear connection between insufficient social connection and life longevity. The US Department of Health & Human Services reports that “The physical health consequences of poor or insufficient connection include a 29% increased risk of heart disease, a 32% increased risk of stroke, and a 50% increased risk of developing dementia for older adults. Additionally, lacking social connection increases risk of premature death by more than 60%.”

However, the US Surgeon General’s Advisory reveals that over the last two decades, social isolation has increased, and social participation has decreased – a trend that began long before the pandemic exasperated isolation issues for all of us. Yet seniors are not most at risk for connectivity declines; the data reveals that those aged 15-24 are spending 70% less time with others over the last 20 years.

We have included some interesting visuals below published by the Surgeon General and encourage you to read the report in full here for comprehensive data and 6 core solutions.

Our message to you today is that isolation can and does happen to all of us at one time or another. A lack of connection has a huge impact on life longevity and physical as well as mental health. But there is one thing we each can do every day to help ourselves and those around us.

UCLA Health strongly advises that the best way to fight the loneliness epidemic starts with each of us – now: “Taking just 15 minutes a day to reach out to someone you care about can make a huge difference in how connected we feel. To address this crisis of loneliness, we need to return to the core values of kindness, generosity and friendship that are so essential to the social fabric of our communities.”

All my best,

Bobbi

Bobbi Decker
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