Start the new year by making new connections with your neighbors.

There are many ways we take care of our health, from eating healthy foods and moving our bodies to visiting the doctor for annual exams. But social connection is one aspect of aging and living well that is often overlooked.

According to the 2023 U.S. Surgeon General’s advisory, “Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation,” social connection is an important factor in our health. A survey cited in the adviinspire sory found that older adults with diabetes who have a large support network had a reduced risk of mortality.

People can become lonely when they lack social connections. The advisory defines loneliness as “the subjective distressing experience that results from perceived isolation or inadequate meaningful connections.”