BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Loneliness. Isolation. Social disconnect. It's a public health crisis across the U.S. affecting all ages from every walk of life.
How can we fix it? A new report by the U.S. surgeon general declares loneliness an American epidemic, affecting about half of all adults.
LehighValleyNews.com and PBS39 present "A Community Conversation: The Loneliness Epidemic" with host Brittany Sweeney. She speaks with experts in psychology, community outreach and medical professionals to examine the factors that contribute to isolation and steps that can be taken to do avoid it.
Guests include Heather Nicollella, of Lehigh County Aging and Adult Services; Wendy Scott, the Fleming Memory Center’s elder life educator, part of Lehigh Valley Physicans Group; Rochelle Frounfelker, assistant professor in the Department of Community and Population Health at Lehigh University; Connor Moriarty, owner and licensed professional counselor, Reset Outdoors; Anna Smith, director of Community Action Development Bethlehem; and Melissa Hunt, associate director of clinical training at the University of Pennsylvania.