If you’ve ever walked into a room full of seniors and sensed that something felt “quieter” than it should… you’re not imagining it. Across Canada, as many as 1 in 4 seniors are socially isolated. Not lonely, isolated. That’s different. Loneliness is a feeling. Isolation is a condition. And it’s becoming a silent public health emergency.
Think of
Helen, a vibrant 82-year-old who used to quilt with a circle of friends every
Thursday. When her eyesight changed and her ride moved away, those Thursdays
disappeared. Not by choice. By circumstance.
Every
community has a Helen.
Many communities have hundreds.
Leaders and
advocates like have a role here, not as fixers, but as connectors. When
isolation deepens, seniors disengage. Health declines. Healthcare costs
explode. But the root problem is surprisingly simple: people get cut off
from people.
So, here’s
the spark for today:
Let’s choose to see social isolation as the serious, solvable issue it is.
Let’s bring it into council chambers, advisory meetings, boardrooms, and
community conversations with the same urgency we bring to housing or
healthcare.
Because no
senior should ever fade quietly from the community they helped build.
Take Action
Today:
Ask one question in your next meeting:
“What are we doing this quarter to reconnect older adults who have fallen
off the radar?”
That single question reopens doors.
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