Our population is aging rapidly, with adults aged 60 and older now outnumbering children under 18 in the Granite State. Many older adults live alone, often without family or friends nearby to help, and find themselves socially isolated. Social isolation can be detrimental to physical health, including higher risk of heart disease, dementia, and stroke.
As our population ages, we are seeing a much higher prevalence of social isolation, which SNMOW aims to tackle with the Friendly Visitor program. Friendly visitors are assigned to clients based on a variety of factors, including personality traits and similar interests and are scheduled to visit their friends up to once per week.
This relationship is beneficial to both the client and the volunteer, giving them new connections, a greater sense of purpose, and better overall well-being.
