In the News: Fierce Healthcare

Here is an excerpt:

“Before the COVID-19 pandemic, social isolation affected 1 in 4 older adults. It's almost two years into the pandemic, and now it affects two out of three adults in general and two out of five low-income older adults, according to data from the AARP Foundation.

[…]

“Also critical to keep in mind, explained Kasley Killam, founder of Social Health Labs, is that “we don’t start aging once we get old; we start aging once we’re born.” In fact, she noted, isolation and loneliness are most common in younger generations. Therefore, solutions need to consider the entirety of a person’s life span.

“Social connection is not a nice-to-have,” she said. “It’s essential to our health and well-being.”

“Cross-industry collaborations are an essential way to think strategically about this issue, Killam said. The Massachusetts Task Force to End Loneliness and Build Community, for instance, is a coalition of more than 30 organizations including local governments, nonprofits, retirement homes and universities that offer resources and awareness campaigns meant to address various disparities.”

Read the full article here.