Across Canada, 1/3 of the population is over the age of 50, many who feel isolated, friendless and forgotten. I wonder about the millennials and our teens and their feelings of isolation, especially in the world of ‘heads-down, and iPhone on’.
We have an organization in the city called the HUB, a group of health and safety professionals that meet to discuss ways to assist high risk members of our community in crisis.
I wonder if this concept could be expanded by asking individuals to build a sense of belonging and caring to others in their neighbourhoods. Simply, by getting to know who your neighbours are, exchanging phone numbers, offering to mow a lawn, having a coffee, or sharing a conversation. If you take a moment to recall a memory when you felt really connected, I can bet it was in a family gathering or friends’ setting filled with laughter and love and eye contact. We all deserve to feel like we belong everyday wherever we are. It is, after all, critical to our health and well-being.
