Building connections vital for Utah senior citizens to stave off loneliness, health experts say

SALT LAKE CITY — Utah is the youngest state in the nation, according to government statistics, but Gov. Spencer Cox informed the crowd at the state's third aging symposium on Tuesday that the state is also aging rapidly.

"We have this large group of people — our baby boomers who are starting to retire — and that's going to cause some challenges and some opportunities," Cox said during the keynote panel discussion. "I'm hoping to get some help on that. ... We have some experts here to talk about this today."

This year's symposium, titled Aging with a WISE Purpose and representing the topics of "wealth, independence, security and engagement," welcomed academic and nonprofit leaders, government leaders and medical professionals to listen to recommendations for improved experiences with Utah's growing senior population.

The day also pressed the need to address the sense of loneliness among this population, which can have a negative effect on the body similar to smoking an average of 15 cigarettes a day, according to Julianne Holt-Lunstad, a professor at BYU's Social Connection and Health Lab.

Holt-Lunstad, who also assisted the current U.S. surgeon general, Dr. Vivek Murthy, in his 2023 pronouncements on the seriousness of loneliness as an epidemic in the United States, encouraged the governor and the audience to pay attention to loneliness among senior citizens. She has analyzed many, many studies, she told the audience, and what she has found is what the surgeon general is presenting: A lack of a social connection is as significant to physical health as mental health.

"What I have found over and over again was that people simply did not recognize how important our connections are for our health," she said. "What I realized is that we need to take social connections just as seriously for our health."

Although the surgeon general has spoken about the epidemic of loneliness among the general U.S. population, the complexities of life for those older than 65 make them more susceptible to a lack of social connection. Busy children, family in faraway areas, the passing of friends, and higher health costs all contribute to this loneliness, researchers and practitioners said on Tuesday. In fact, Intermountain Health President and CEO Rob Allen said this group of adults is affected by loneliness as much as three times more than someone aged 30.

Older Utahns are not immune from the effects of loneliness on mental health, either. In Utah, the Department of Health and Human Services reports that those 65 and older are 11.2% of the population and account for 10.6% of all suicides in the state. Getting a handle on loneliness is vital to lower those numbers, medical professionals said.

A key recommendation that came from the conference was to promote the value seniors provide simply due to their wealth of experience. Working in any field, knowing the ins and outs of raising children, fixing anything in the house and their general storytelling abilities mean everyone can learn from seniors. Visiting them in their homes or in assisted living facilities can be just as important as inviting them out to do any activity, as well as ensuring they are involved in any decision affecting them.

Spending time with them and letting older Utahns know they are needed and cared for can go a long way.

"For seniors to connect with other people benefits our society. ... We can get that wisdom, information and perspective," said Nels Holmgren, director of the state's Division of Aging and Adult Services. "Connectivity and relationship between various generations benefit everyone involved."

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