According to a survey done by NBC, 50% of Americans go an entire day without a single meaningful conversation or interaction with another person. According to the National Library of Medicine, “Approximately one-quarter (24 percent) of community-dwelling Americans aged 65 and older are considered to be socially isolated, and a significant proportion of adults in the United States report feeling lonely (35 percent of adults aged 45 and older and 43 percent of adults aged 60 and older).” See more here. Here in Nevada we are 25th in the nation for social isolation and lead the nation in attempted suicide rates. Nearly 12% of older adults report experiencing depression. See more about socially isolated seniors in Nevada here.
How many meaningful interactions have you had with friends or family this week? Changing the world can start with reaching out and spending some time with someone who is lonely. It could be as simple as checking in on a neighbor or calling an old friend. If you are looking for an opportunity to build relationships with seniors, we need volunteers to help with our Senior Meals Program at Living Hope weekdays from 1:00-3:00pm. If you are interested email martin@lssnv.org.
Audrey, pictured below with Pastor Jason, is our Senior Meals Coordinator at LSSN and she is a meaningful interaction machine! She has been intentional about cultivating authentic relationships. One gentleman who has been coming and congregating with Audrey and the group is named Joe. Joe was struggling with homelessness and addiction for some time. Audrey continued to encourage and challenge him to do something different and over time they formed a relationship. Recently, Audrey was able to help him get in off the streets and into a recovery home/halfway house which he is able to afford even with his limited fixed income.
Thank you for your support of Lutheran Social Services and our fight against social isolation and despair.
For more check out: https://conta.cc/3QPsslO
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