On May 3, Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy released a new advisory calling attention to the public health crisis of loneliness, isolation, and lack of connection in our country. Even before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, approximately half of U.S. adults reported experiencing measurable levels of loneliness. The Surgeon General warns that disconnection fundamentally…
As April is Stress Awareness Month, we consider that many older Americans are facing extremely stressful circumstances— and may encounter emotionally stressful situations that are more severe and occur more frequently. Some situational causes of increased chronic stress in older adults include: Retirement Loss of a loved one Heart disease Too much unstructured time Declining…
An extraordinary 85-year-long Harvard research study found that retirees don’t miss working, they miss the people. The study began in 1938 by gathering health records from 724 people from all over the world, asking detailed questions about their lives at two-year intervals over 80 years. Over time, the study found a similarity as people reached…
On January 20th this past week, a report came across our evening news that made us all sit up and listen. A nine year study by Johns Hopkins researchers found that socially isolated older adults have a 27% higher chance of developing dementia than older adults who aren’t. “Social connections matter for our cognitive health,…
January is often a long month after the excitement of Christmas and the New Year holidays, and is considered to be one of the most difficult times of the year. In fact, studies suggest that many people feel the January Blues, with the most depressing day of the year named as Blue Monday, on the…