Rewind: Fighting a loneliness epidemic, one connection at a time

The Common

Team Common is currently working on our transition to a weekly show. We’ll be back this summer with new episodes. In the meantime, here’s one from our archives.

In May 2023, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy released an advisory sounding the alarm on what he calls the “devastating impact of the epidemic of loneliness and isolation in the United States.”

A growing body of research ties loneliness to an increased risk of health conditions including heart disease, stroke, dementia and even premature death, making it, by many measures, a public health concern.

In this episode, WBUR Senior Health Reporter Priyanka Dayal McCluskey joins The Common to talk about two Boston-area-based programs that aim to combat loneliness through fostering friendships and human connection.

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