Everyone falls prey to the feeling of loneliness from time to time but few — whether they are 80 or 18 — realize just how detrimental persistent loneliness can be to their mental and physical health.

While U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy garnered headlines last year for saying that older adults are among those who are systemically more at risk of social isolation, other research shows that it’s not just the elderly. All generations are feeling the effects of what Murthy and others call an “epidemic of loneliness.”

But Murthy’s advisory did strike a chord, in part because he notes that isolation among older adults alone is to blame for an estimated excess of $6.7 billion in annual Medicare spending.

Factors like retirement, the loss of loved ones, health problems, and limited transportation and technology access can shrink social circles  among aging populations, especially in rural areas.

Though loneliness might seem a slippe ry issue to tackle, the solution could be as simple as increasing access to social opportunities — providing a space outside of the home where older adults can gather casually, connect with others who have similar interests, or take part in regular neighbor check-ins — and encouraging connections across generations.

Recently, some organizations have even begun fostering intergenerational connections as the growing level of loneliness among young people becomes more apparent.

“There’s something for everybody to resonate with in that experience,” said Gloria DiFulvio, senior lecturer and associate dean of undergraduate academic affairs in the University of Massachusetts Amherst’s School of Public Health and Health Sciences, noting that there are myriad factors that “make people feel like they’re not part of a larger group.”

Bridging thegenerational gap

After reading Murthy’s 2020 book on the topic titled “Together,” DiFulvio set out to craft a course that would inform students on the risks of loneliness, and how to combat them. The result was a course launched in the fall of 2021 called The Epidemic of Loneliness, which includes an intergenerational storytelling project in partnership with Northampton Neighbors. The plan was to teach students how to build meaningful connections while offering elders in the community a chance to socialize.

What DiFulvio wasn’t expecting was the depth of story exchanges between students and elders, uncovering just how much both generations have to offer each other.

“It really helped a lot of people to recognize the importance of shared values, the importance of common interests,” said DiFulvio. “Everyone has unique stories that they want to tell.”

Diane Porcella, executive director of Northampton Neighbors, said she and DiFulvio quickly realized that the students were often just as lonely as the elders they were paired with, a realization more and more researchers and organizations are coming to. While the effects of chronic loneliness become more pronounced as we age — such as increased risks of Alzheimer’s, dementia, self-harm, heart disease, and stroke — Murthy’s advisory suggests that its impacts compound over the course of one’s life, and no one is exempt.

“It wasn’t just something they were doing for the older adults,” said Porcella. “This was a mutually rewarding give and take exchange.”

Even after the conclusion of the class, connections between students and members of Northampton Neighbors remained strong. Porcella noted that Northampton Neighbors is looking to engage in more intergenerational work after seeing the popularity of the class grow and benefit both groups.

This comes as no surprise to Rebecca Ready, an associate professor at UMass Amherst who studies emotional regulation and healthy aging, challenging what she calls “negative perceptions of aging.”

“People of all ages experience loneliness, and maybe the differences between ages are not as great as we think,” said Ready. “Older adults are not more depressed than young people. My data would actually suggest the opposite.”

Ready said some recent research suggests that, while older people may have smaller social circles, they aren’t necessarily lonelier than the rest of the population. They may instead prioritize a smaller number of more fulfilling relationships, rather than a wide array of more superficial ones.

This is largely because loneliness is such a subjective experience. Both Ready and DiFulvio emphasized the differences between loneliness, isolation, and solitude.

Solitude can be healthy, as it is the kind of “alone time” that individuals seek out as a respite from social engagement. Social isolation means that one has objectively few relationships or social outlets, but that doesn’t definitively mean they are lonely. Loneliness, rather, is when one’s social goals or perceptions of an ideal social life are not met. One is lonely when one cannot find ways to connect with others in the way they wish to, or as often as they wish to.

“You can be in a room full of people and be lonely,” said DiFulvio. “You can also be alone and not feel lonely.”

But Ready acknowledged that there are barriers to social goals that arise as we age, as older adulthood is a “major transition period.” Moving into retirement, losing a spouse, developing mobility issues or giving up one’s driver’s license are all common reasons older adults can feel cut off from social opportunities. Porcella said she encounters many older adults who identify as “solo agers” because they do not have close family members or friends to rely on.

Young people, on the other hand, may have bountiful social opportunities through school, work, and social media, but struggle to forge connections they find meaningful. In both cases, the effects of loneliness are just as potent.

Loneliness doesn’tdiscriminate 

Sandra Harris, state president of AARP Massachusetts and member of the Coalition to Build Community and End Loneliness in MA, also quickly realized through her work that young people suffer greatly from loneliness, and a give and take relationship between generations presented a great way to build strong communities.

“What we learned is it’s not just older adults. The one thing about loneliness is it doesn’t discriminate,” said Harris. “What we’ve had to do over the last couple of years, we’ve had to really expand our lens.”

Now, the coalition has an “Intergenerational Subcommittee” focused on providing resources for the development of intergenerational programs, and highlighting successful programs to inspire communities to start their own.

Another subcommittee within the coalition focuses on bridging the digital divide that older populations often face when seeking connections, which provides guidance to communities on including older adults in technology planning.

“Some communities still don’t have internet,” said Lynne Feldman, director of community services at LifePath, a Greenfield-based agency on aging. “Some older adults have computers and smart phones but don’t know how to use them.”

But young people do know how to use them. Connecting young individuals with older adults for technology mentoring has presented a way for organizations to foster intergenerational connection while helping create greater online access throughout the community.

Many organizations in western Massachusetts and beyond, including the Northampton Senior Center, have welcomed high school and college-age individuals to volunteer for one-on-one sessions teaching older adults how to use the technology they have available.

Exchanging generational knowledge in this way not only can combat loneliness and teach people new skills, but it can make individuals who identify with marginalized groups feel more seen and hopeful. Feldman has seen the benefits of this kind of exchange firsthand through LifePath’s “Rainbow Elders” group, which brings together members of the LGBTQ+ community, young and old.

“LGBT youth are at greater risk for mental health issues and social isolation,” said Feldman. But through Rainbow Elders, they get to talk with others who “have been through what they’re going through.” Additionally, the older adults get to “see some of the barriers that the younger people are breaking.”

Creating opportunities, space for connection

 Porcella has learned that ending loneliness doesn’t have a “one-size-fits-all” solution, she said. Rather, it’s about offering people the space and the means to engage in the community in the ways that interest them, whether it’s through books, hiking, food, or anything else.

On Sept. 21, Northampton Neighbors will host its third annual DoozyDo Parade, which the group deems “a celebration of community.” The parade seeks not only to raise awareness for the organization, but also bring together community members across generations and backgrounds.

Later that month, on Sept. 28, the nation will celebrate “Good Neighbor Day,” a day Harris says is dedicated to “building a community spirit” and “getting people out to talk to their neighbors.”

Ruth Ever, program director at Trauma Informed Hampshire County, has been brainstorming local activities for Good Neighbor Day, including “a scavenger hunt with prompts that encourage connection” and the chance to nominate a great neighbor for recognition.

The great part about Good Neighbor Day, to Ever, is that it allows us “to become part of something bigger,” but “doesn’t require a lot of resources.”

“It’s all about day-to-day kindnesses,” she said. “Day-to-day kindnesses make life worth living.”

The DoozyDo Parade and Good Neighbor Day are just two examples of ways communities can combat loneliness by offering a chance for connection.

When approaching an epidemic as nebulous and varied as loneliness, Porcella said there isn’t “a better answer to that issue than providing more opportunities for connection.”

Alexa Lewis can be reached at alewis@gazettenet.com.