Friendship on the phoneĬonnections can develop even on the phone. They need to feel part of something," she says. "It's just human - people need companionship. Silverman's mother and primary caregiver, Stephanie Lynch, says he seems happier and more confident since he started spending time with Mills. The pair met earlier this year and got along right away. Other friends take shopping trips, or do laundry together.įor Mills and Silverman, gym visits have become a monthly ritual. "I suggest a walk, hanging out at home, playing a game, going to the library," she says. Volunteer coordinator Maryellen Killeen says she encourages the pairs to start with a simple outing. The volunteers are background-checked and sometimes fingerprinted before they meet their new friends. Project leaders are working with some health insurers, including Tufts Health Plan and UnitedHealthcare, to expand the initiative beyond people with disabilities and mental health conditions. The Friendship Project has enrolled dozens of participants so far - ranging in age from their 20s to their 70s - with plans to grow. " putting the entire responsibility on the person and say: 'You've got to do everything yourself' - it's actually nice to have institutions to step in and help out, because they can leverage a lot of resources." Even doing laundry together counts It takes time and effort to nurture friendships, he notes. "If the goal is to help people live longer, healthier lives, this is a pretty obvious intervention," he says. And they talk to their friends less often.Ĭox says he's heartened to see more health care leaders focus on the importance of friendship. Even before the pandemic, isolation emerged as a growing threat to health.Īmericans also have fewer close friends than they used to, says Daniel Cox, senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, who studies friendship. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy's office.Ī socially distanced outdoor lunch in March 2020. Loneliness can increase the risk of premature death as much as smoking 15 cigarettes a day, according to a recent advisory from the U.S. People who are socially disconnected have a 29% higher risk of heart disease, a 32% greater risk of stroke and a 50% increased risk of dementia for older adults. This work is rooted in more than a moral imperative to help people.Ī growing body of research shows loneliness has profound implications for physical and mental health. "If there's ways that we could support people by connecting them with others, then we absolutely should do that." Profound effects on physical and mental health "People are so isolated and so lonely, and that has such a negative impact on their quality of life," says Jeff Keilson, senior vice president of strategic planning at Advocates, the Framingham-based human services agency that runs the Friendship Project. The program is designed to reduce social isolation - particularly for people with disabilities or mental health conditions - by helping them build relationships with others. Mills, who works in human resources for the state police, volunteers with a small but growing initiative called the Friendship Project. This connection began in a somewhat unusual way. We're just here to hang out." Fostering connection "We laugh and don't worry about anything when we're together," says Mills, 43.
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