Originally published on American Society on Aging:
The healthcare community and general public increasingly acknowledge that “successful aging” involves not only a focus on physical and mental health, but also on social well-being and connectedness. In particular, the concepts of social isolation and loneliness have emerged as critical to the health and quality of life of older adults, and to public health overall. While the terms often are used interchangeably, they have different meanings; accordingly, how we address each may differ.
