Paige Bartlett

Research increasingly shows that our health is influenced by the power of our social connections. Having a strong social network can improve our health and help us live a longer life, as well as lower the risk of many conditions ranging from heart disease to dementia. This year’s 9th annual Ignite Aging Symposium, hosted by the de Tornyay Center for Healthy Aging, is all about social connection.

In the early 2000s, while working with National Geographic, journalist Dan Buettner popularized the idea of Blue Zones as a model of how to live a long and healthy life.

The Cost of Loneliness and Social Isolation and What to Do About It Feeling lonely doesn’t just feel bad, it’s bad for your health too. According to the CDC, isolation and loneliness can raise someone’s risk of developing many different health conditions, including mental health conditions, heart disease, stroke or diabetes. Loneliness and social isolation are also common. One third of American adults report loneliness.