Rebuilding Connection for Seniors in Our Community 1

I’d like to address an issue that impacts not only seniors, but the health, resilience, and vibrancy of our entire community: social isolation among older adults.

We often think of social isolation as a personal matter, someone becoming quiet, or no longer participating. But across Canada, research shows it is far more than that. It is a public health issue, a community design issue, and a policy issue. And it is one that every municipality must now treat with urgency.

Up to 24% of Canadian seniors, that’s nearly 1 in 4, are socially isolated. Not lonely; isolated. That distinction matters. Loneliness is how people feel. Isolation is the lack of meaningful connection with others. It is a measurable condition, and it has measurable consequences.

Social isolation increases the risk of premature death, dementia, heart disease, stroke, and depression. Research compares the health impact to smoking 15 cigarettes a day. It also increases emergency room visits, hospital stays, and long-term care placements, placing higher pressures on healthcare systems, caregivers, and municipal programs.

But even more important than statistics are the stories behind them.

Many older adults in our city begin to withdraw after major life transitions, retirement, losing a spouse, or health changes that make mobility difficult. Others lose their social circle when adult children move away, or when transportation becomes too challenging. And some face additional barriers because they are newcomers, live on a low income, or belong to communities that experience discrimination.

These changes rarely happen all at once. They add up slowly, until the senior who once attended events, volunteered, or walked in the neighbourhood stops showing up entirely.

And when a senior disappears, it’s often months before someone realizes they’re gone.

This is where municipalities play a critical role.