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BOSTON (State House News Service) - Aiming to foster more connected communities across Massachusetts and staunch the negative health outcomes that can result from social isolation, dozens of service providers and advocacy groups gathered virtually Thursday as part of their ongoing work to combat loneliness.
A range of vulnerable Bay Staters are considered to be lonely, including older adults who are living alone, immigrants, young adults ages 18 to 25, caregivers, young mothers and people of color, according to Sandra Harris, president of AARP Massachusetts and co-leader of the Massachusetts Task Force to End Loneliness and Build Community.
The task force's fourth annual summit coincided with National Good Neighbor Day, which promotes the "good neighbor mindset" of building connections with neighbors, as well as supporting one another and celebrating events together.
"We have come a long way since the spring of 2019, when we noticed the impact of the worldwide epidemic of loneliness on the commonwealth," Harris said during the summit. "When we began this work four years ago, our focus was on older adults living alone. Since that time, our understanding of those most at risk for loneliness has expanded; the pandemic pulled back the curtain and highlighted more lonely spaces."
Written By Alison Kuznitz/SHNS
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