Loneliness is a health problem for seniors. We all can do something to fix that.

On May 3, 2023, the surgeon general — America’s doctor — raised the alarm about the devastating impact of the epidemic of loneliness and isolation in the United States.

The announcement read, “Today, United States Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy released a new Surgeon General Advisory calling attention to the public health crisis of loneliness, isolation, and lack of connection in our country. Even before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, approximately half of U.S. adults reported experiencing measurable levels of loneliness. Disconnection fundamentally affects our mental, physical, and societal health. In fact, loneliness and isolation increase the risk for individuals to develop mental health challenges in their lives, and lacking connection can increase the risk for premature death to levels comparable to smoking daily.”

What does loneliness mean to you? Some describe it as a sensation of emptiness or boredom. Others describe it as tiredness or a sense of deep sadness. Most experience a sense of disconnection or separation.

But loneliness is not limited to being physically alone; sometimes, it happens when you’re in a crowd and feel detached from others.

From a more philosophical point of view, it becomes an issue of self-awareness. Is it necessary to have other people in your life to reflect back to you your aliveness? Is it possible to exist in a vacuum? Why do we consider solitary confinement the direst penalty? To be confined is one form of punishment, but to be completely isolated is mental torture.

The Surgeon General’s advisory goes on to say, “Loneliness is far more than just a bad feeling — it harms both the individual and societal health. It is associated with a greater risk of cardiovascular disease, dementia, stroke, depression, anxiety, and premature death. The mortality impact of being socially disconnected is similar to that caused by smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day and is even greater than that associated with obesity and physical inactivity. And the harmful consequences of a society that lacks social connection can be felt in our schools, workplaces, and civic organizations, where performance, productivity, and engagement are diminished.”

Loneliness affects people of all ages but is particularly significant in the senior population. Approximately one-third of seniors live alone, totaling 14.7 million people in the US. It seems that, as a society, we are compelled to find solutions to this national problem.

Of course, the Surgeon General has created a six-pillar solution to answer this crisis, but we don’t need a trillion-dollar budget to know that neighbors need to care for each other. Isn’t it interesting that when the religious teachers of the day challenged Jesus to specify the greatest of all the commandments, he answered them with such simplicity? He said the first commandment was to love God, and the second most important was to love your neighbor!

Pretty simple, huh? Why not start today with a real effort to reach out to our neighbors, family, and friends who may be alone? It is not the government’s job, it is ours.

Find Connie’s book, “Daily Cures: Wisdom for Healthy Aging,” at www.justnowoldenough.com.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Loneliness is a problem and Topeka residents can do something about it