In consideration of the increasing trend of loneliness and isolation among older adults, it’s time to take a stand. In the effort to do so, we are delighted to introduce The Neighbor Project! Fronted by founder Violet Sudol, the project endeavors to help aid social interaction across Englewood’s communities.
The Neighbor Project is an online website dedicated to fostering connections among older adults. The mission: combat loneliness and isolation by building vibrant, supportive communities through meaningful interactions and local resources. The goals of the project include:
● Rebuilding the fabric of society by building community in local neighborhoods
● Helping older adults find new friends online who live nearby, as well as fostering connections with their neighbors and local community members
● Educating the community at large by providing resources available to older adults in their neighborhoods
To meet these goals, The Neighbor Project proudly partners with Age-Friendly Englewood and The Community Chest of Englewood. Within Englewood, approximately 17.6% of the population is aged 65 and over—meaning with around 29,034 residents, over 5,000 of them are senior-aged. Organizations such as the Neighbor Project and its partners seek to account for these citizens and offer them support.
A particular focus of these organizations is on a report from U.S Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, who states that loneliness and isolation have heavy effects on the rate of premature death, respectively 26% and 29%, which is compared to smoking around 15 cigarettes a day. Around 50% of adults have faced loneliness in recent years, which can be especially harmful to members of the older population who experience physical and mental limitations, face disconnection from others, or have a lack of accessibility to critical resources.
In helping nurture relationships between older adults, the Neighbor Project hopes to light the spark that will inspire higher quantities of healthy, joyful, and active communities.
