People that are engaged and connected have greater mobility, are more likely to stay current on health screenings, have better cognitive health and are more likely to live longer.

Communities that provide residents with engagement opportunities also receive an array of benefits – from volunteer support to increased community pridemunities can create and promote social engagement campaigns, programs and resources that enable older adults to stay connected and share their expertise.

Staying connected can be a challenge, but the negative impacts isolation and loneliness have on our health and wellbeing makes staying socially connected a necessity. A persistent feeling of loneliness can affect a person’s physical and mental health, and social isolation is associated with an increased risk for mortality. The CDC defines loneliness as “the feeling of being alone, regardless of the amount of social contact. Social isolation is a lack of social connections.” To find out how connected you are, take AARP’s isolation risk self-assessment.

Loneliness can affect anyone. The good news is that community involvement and connections can help reduce many of the effects of loneliness. There are a number of ways to stay connected so, regardless of your personality type, you can stay engaged and healthy in ways that are comfortable to you.

• Continue Learning: Learning can give you a feeling of accomplishment and help you build new skills. Universities and community colleges often offer lifelong learning classes. Lees verder →