Ways You Can Help in the Loneliness Epidemic

U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy has declared a national epidemic of loneliness and social isolation.

One in two people surveyed recently said they had periods of loneliness.

That makes a lot of lonely people. Those lonely people are of all ages and all socioeconomic groups. They could even be your friends or neighbors.

Before cell phones, we used to talk to one another… at the grocery store, in line at the post office, in the waiting room at the doctor’s office, even walking to class in a high school or on a college campus.

This lack of social connection has been shown to damage our health as much as smoking five cigarettes a day.

Thinking that half of the people I know could be experiencing loneliness, has made me want to help.

Dr. Murthy gave five keys to connection:

Answer a phone call from a friend
Invite someone over to share a meal.
Listen and be present during conversations.
Seek out opportunities to serve others.

Out of those four keys, I have chosen to invite someone over for a meal.

The excuses I told myself so I would not do anything:

My house is a mess!
I don’t know how to cook!
No one wants to come to my house!
My furniture is old!

I started thinking about my experiences when I was invited to someone’s home for a meal.

I realized I didn’t care if their home was old or small. I didn’t really care if their furniture was old. I just remember the feeling of their warmth and camaraderie. Even if their food was not gourmet or their dishes didn’t match, it was still a pleasant experience.

You probably worry about hosting, too. Very few of us have perfect homes, but I bet you can think of a friend, a relative, even a customer who would love to be invited to your home.

Let’s make a plan.

If you have kids, invite another family to bring their kids. If you’re a widow or a widower or a single mom, you don’t have to wait for someone to invite you over, you can do the inviting and the hosting.

Now that you’ve invited your guests, let’s see if I can give you a few pointers to get started.

Two days before the guests are due, run to Target or the Dollar Store and pick up some baskets that can hold toys or the piles of stuff you have laying around.

The day before the gathering, pick up toys and any piles of mail/papers and put them in the baskets. Grab a feather duster and swipe at the tables and lamps. Next, sweep or vacuum the kitchen floor, wash any dirty dishes and wipe off the counter tops. Finally, you will want to clean a bathroom for the guests to use.

One or two days before the guests are due, go to the grocery store and pick up items like lettuce, cabbage, tomatoes, cucumber, mini sweet peppers, avocados, some refrigerated Pillsbury Crescent dough, some cans of cannellini beans and a jar of salad dressing. Then pick up some pretty, fresh berries for dessert.

The day of the dinner, you will arrange bowls or a large tray on a card table or on your counter top to hold your ingredients for a salad bar.

Bake the rolls just before the doorbell rings, so your home smells like a bakery.

Greet your guests with the phrase, “so glad you could come.”

How did it go?

You have created your own version of social connection. Not only do you feel better, but those friends you included went home in a glow of camaraderie.

I would love to hear from you about your successes with social connection. I’m sure other readers will welcome your thoughts and ideas.

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