Published in RINewsToday on December 15, 2025

On April 30, 2023, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy published an essay in The New York Times, announcing the impending release of U.S. Surgeon General’s advisory report titled “Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation.” In this essay he talked about his own personal struggles with loneliness and called loneliness a public health crisis and advocated for strengthening social connections to combat it.

On May 3, 2023, Murthy released a 81-page report revealing that even before the COVID-19 pandemic, beginning late 2019, nearly half of U.S. adults were experiencing measurable levels of loneliness. This report detailed serious physical and mental health risks resulting from being lonely, with a mortality effect equivalent to smoking as many as 15 cigarettes daily.  The Surgeon General also proposed a national strategy to address this issue.

Almost two years and seven months later, AARP releases  a new report, “Disconnected: The Escalating Challenge of Loneliness Among Adults 45+.” The 57-page study found that 40% of U.S. adults aged 45 and older are now experiencing loneliness, up from 35% in both 2018 and 2010. Additionally, the report noted a shift in gender loneliness trends, too: men are now more likely to report being lonely than women (42% vs. 37%), reversing the 2018 trend where men (34%) and women (36%) reported nearly equal levels of loneliness.

Researchers also found that loneliness is most prevalent among adults in their 40s and 50s, with 46% of adults ages 45-59 reporting loneliness, compared to 35% of those aged 60 and older. This trend of loneliness decreasing with age has been consistent since AARP’s 2010 research study.

“In midlife, people often juggle careers, children, and caregiving responsibilities while their social circles shrink,” said Debra Whitman, AARP Executive Vice President and Chief Public Policy Officer, in a Dec. 3 statement announcing the release of the report. “These pressures can increase stress and reduce opportunities to meaningfully connect with others,” she added.

Key Predictors of Loneliness

The report identifies several key predictors of loneliness, including smaller social networks, mental health challenges, and fewer friendships. Forty-five percent of lonely individuals reported having fewer friends than they did five years ago, compared to 29% of adults age 45 and older overall. Men are more likely than women to report having no close friends (17% vs. 13%).

Technology also played a significant role in enhancing social connections, with nearly 6 in 10 adults aged 45+ (57%) relying on technology to stay connected with family and friends. This group generally has more close friends and is more likely to volunteer or participate in community groups, the findings suggest. However, for some, technology can deepen isolation. Nearly 24% of lonely adults say technology has led to fewer close friendships. At the same time, 23% of lonely adults express interest in AI technologies for companionship, compared to 15% of adults 45+ overall.

“This research underscores the importance of staying connected with family, friends, and the broader community. Solid social networks aren’t just nice to have—they’re essential for combating loneliness and supporting overall well-being,” said Heather Nawrocki, Vice President of Fun & Fulfillment at AARP. “Nurturing relationships is just as critical to your health as eating well and exercising,” she added.

The report highlights that both lonely and non-lonely adults experience a sense of true belonging when they spend time with family, friends, and co-workers. This suggests an opportunity for individuals to strengthen existing relationships and form new connections.

Social connections can serve as a lifeline for both lonely and non-lonely individuals, the report notes. Simple acts such as reaching out to an old friend, starting a conversation with a stranger, checking in on a neighbor who has recently lost a loved one, or volunteering at your child’s or grandchild’s school can help address feelings of loneliness.

Rhode Island Insights on Loneliness

“This research mirrors what we hear every day from Rhode Islanders who call the Office of Healthy Aging,” says Maria Cimini, Director of the Rhode Island Office of Healthy Aging (RIOHA). Cimini explains that loneliness often surfaces quietly through stress, uncertainty, or a simple feeling of not knowing where to turn for help.

“The new AARP research reflects what RIOHA hears daily from older adults, caregivers, and families seeking help. Loneliness rarely presents itself as the first concern in a call,” Cimini says. “Instead, it often manifests as anxiety, caregiver stress, confusion, or simply a need to talk to someone who understands their situation.”

Cimini emphasizes that loneliness is not just an abstract condition but a complex social and health issue that intersects with caregiving, housing stability, transportation access, food security, disability, and mental health. “Calls to the Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) often reveal people navigating major life transitions alone, such as the loss of a spouse, a new diagnosis, reduced mobility, or the isolation that comes with caregiving or retirement,” she says.

“Loneliness has a significant impact on health, and both loneliness and social isolation are increasingly recognized as major social determinants of health,” says Maureen Maigret, policy advisor for SACRI and a board member of The Village Common of Rhode Island (TVCRI). TVCRI helps older adults remain independent and connected to their communities. Maigret highlighted that feedback from TVCRI members shows how critical the social connections provided by volunteers are for maintaining health and well-being.

AARP’s findings align with research from the American Psychological Association and the American Psychiatric Association, according to Elaine Rodino, Ph.D., a former president of the APA’s Division of Psychologists in Independent Practice. Rodino, a licensed psychologist practicing in Los Angeles and State College, Pennsylvania, stressed that loneliness is a subjective experience. “Some people who spend most of their time alone don’t feel lonely, while others with regular social activity still report feeling lonely,” she explained.

“‘Alone in a crowd’ is an expression that captures the feeling of being surrounded by people yet still feeling isolated,” Rodino said, adding that this is true in online environments as well. “Some people engage with social media or chat groups, while others simply lurk, passively observing without interacting. These individuals often feel lonely, whereas those who actively engage are less likely to report the same experience.”

Rodino also pointed out that patients who identify as lonely may struggle to make social connections due to anxiety. “They may feel more comfortable staying home to avoid the discomfort of social engagement,” she said.

Deb Burton, Executive Director of RI Elder Info, offers a simple but important insight: “Too often, we confuse being alone with being lonely. Many people enjoy solitude, but loneliness is the painful feeling that our social connections aren’t fulfilling or adequate,” she said.

Burton explains that society has traded community for independence, and as a result, many people feel isolated. “Rebuilding community starts with simple acts of connection,” she says. “Volunteering is one of the most powerful ways to do this. When people give their time—whether through RI Elder Info or another local organization—they strengthen their own sense of belonging while supporting older adults and caregivers who rely on trusted information and human connection.”

Rhode Island Resources to Combat Loneliness

RI OHA’s approach focuses on connection, navigation, and community—not quick fixes, says Director Cimini, noting that this state office works to reduce isolation by helping people find services, relationships, and meaningful ways to stay engaged.

The state office supports older adults and adults with disabilities through a statewide network of programs that help counter loneliness and strengthen connection, including:

·         Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC): A trusted entry point for information, counseling, and referrals.

·         Senior Companion Program: Pairs trained volunteers with older adults who need regular companionship.

·         Family Caregiver Support Program: Provides education, respite, counseling, and peer support for caregivers.

·         Senior Centers and Community-Based Programs: Offering meals, wellness activities, and social engagement.

·         Nutrition Programs: Congregate meal sites and home-delivered meals that offer nourishment and social contact.

·         Volunteer and Civic Engagement Opportunities: Supporting older adults in staying connected through service and community contribution.

·         SHIP (State Health Insurance Assistance Program): Provides one-on-one counseling to reduce stress and confusion around Medicare.

The Samaritans of Rhode Island

The AARP study puts a spotlight on an issue that is evolving and becoming more complicated as technologies, the economy, health care options and living situations change, says Executive Director Denise Panichas at the Samaritans of Rhode Island in Pawtucket.

According to Panichas, The Samaritans of Rhode Island (a suicide prevention resource center), loneliness is at the heart of every call to the agency’s anonymous, befriending line. In its forty-eight year history, the agency has trained a legion of more than 1,800 alumni and current volunteers to listen beyond the words for the isolation presented by every caller.

Panichas, who has served as executive director for over 24-years, says that those who feel hopeless, alone and suicidal often carry the belief, whether true or not, that they and their problems and emotions are a burden to family and friends. “The fear of being a burden too often quiets their voices at the very moment they most need to be heard,” she says.

“It’s important for readers to know, The Samaritans is not 911 nor are we 988,” adds Panichas, explaining that the phone lines are staffed by volunteers. “Our mission is not only suicide prevention education but to foster connection to our listening line that, if the caller wants, can be used as long as we are needed but is also available for a lifetime of support. We actually have callers who call every day just to check in or to say good night,” she says.

Says Panichas, “Our callers recognized the sincerity of our volunteers, who by the very act of volunteering, convey a message to our callers that their lives matter and they are not alone.  It’s always a good day, when callers report back that after having the courage to talk a Samaritan volunteer, they found the strength to reconnect with family, friends and professionals.”

Emergency? Call 911. Need to Talk? Call The Samaritans of Rhode Island at 401.272.4044 or 1.800.365.4044. Learn more at www.samaritansri.org

To see OHA programs that help counter loneliness and promote social connections, go to www.oha.ri.gov

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