Students from Simmons College conducting field observations(Lisa Arthur)Loneliness is often treated as a personal problem, but researchers are finding where we live plays a major role in how connected we feel.Through an effort called “Universal Belonging,” researchers at the University of Louisv ille and Simmons College of Kentucky are examining how place, policy and community influence connection across the city.LPM’s Ayisha Jaffer spoke with Lauren Anderson, a program manager at U of L’s Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute and Jecorey Arthur, a researcher and professor at Simmons College of Kentucky.This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.Ayisha Jaffer: Lauren, for listeners hearing this term for the first time, what does the idea of a universal basic neighborhood mean?Lauren Anderson: Our neighborhood should be able to provide the foundation of what we need as people who live in society together. It should provide the basic necessities for us to live healthy, happy and fulfilled lives.AJ: And then this newer study on universal belonging zooms in on loneliness. How are the two connected?LA: From our research in environmental medicine, we know that the environment shapes how we act. It shapes how we interact with each other. Places shape how we behave, and it can shape belonging.If we have a universal basic neighborhood, a place that provides for us to be healthy, happy and fulfilled as people then necessarily it would provide us with opportunities to connect with our neighbor, experience fulfillment and belonging within our communities.AJ: Why did the team choose to focus specifically on older adults?LA: Older adults are going through life changes that put them in a higher risk category for loneliness. They could be losing spouses or partners. They could be retiring and losing the meaningful fulfillment that a job would provide every day.And so when we are going through these changes, we need to be mindful about how we are protecting our mental health and the strategies to cope with those changes.Jecorey Arthur: And just to add – why loneliness? Why elders? We know that to have universal basic neighborhoods that meet our needs, we need to have some sort of social and political action collectively as a people, and you can't do that if you're alone.And we know that our elders have that history. Whether we're talking about the abolitionist movement, the civil rights movement — history shows us that the power of the people is stronger than the people in power.AJ: Jecorey, from your perspective as a community organizer and researcher, how have you seen loneliness show up in Louisville neighborhoods that have experienced long term disinvestment?JA: When we think about people-power, no one feels more powerless than someone who's alone. So once we can make those connections through common struggle, we can really have common bonds and use that to take that collective action.But when we see people who are lonely, that means they're looking for a community of people that they can thrive in. Everyone has a role. So what's your role?I think for our elders and our communities as they've gotten older, over time, they have felt like they might not have seen themselves in the work that's being done, or they might not have seen themselves in a specific role, but everyone has a gift to offer, especially our elders. We wouldn't be here without them.AJ: How has race, culture or gender influenced the responses that you've heard so far?LA: Race and gender have a lot to do with how we experience the world, and the literature would suggest that just being a man is a risk factor for loneliness. Women often take on the labor of social engagement for a household or a family. So what is it that could be helpful to help men participate in meaningful engagement whenever maybe their spouse has left?JA: And when it comes to how race is contextualized within this, you have to point out that the West End of Louisville is predominantly Black, and the East End of Louisville is predominantly white. These are racialized policies and environmental injustice that we've experienced.When we think about the racial differences, we're thinking about, how is loneliness impacting you? How is the environment impacting you? How has policy impacted you over time? And we know there's clear differences between the East and the West End of Louisville, or Black and white Louisville.AJ: Based on what you found so far in your research, what kinds of neighborhood conditions seem to help people stay connected, and which ones make loneliness more likely?JA: So another park in the Russell community is Elliott Park, and I point that out, because recently, there has been some investment from our local government into the park. And that investment has paid off.When we went to observe in Elliott Park, when the weather was decent and it was in the evening, and people finished with work – there was about 100 or so people there consistently that were gathering in the park, socializing, barbecuing and talking, and listening to music.That's what community looks like. Our parks, our libraries, our community centers should be being used. And overwhelmingly, we noticed in our observations, if it was there, whether it was a park or a bench — it was being utilized. A store was being utilized. A library was being utilized. So you know the phrase goes, “build it and they will come.” We have seen that with our own eyes when we go out and observe these communities.AJ: What other kinds of early insights are beginning to emerge so far?LA: How much people love their neighborhoods. So one of the questions in the survey that we conducted last year is, do you like your neighborhood? Eighty-one to 100% of people agreed that they very strongly or strongly loved their neighborhood. That suggests to us, people are not disconnected emotionally from the places they live, they might just be disconnected socially.And so we need some sort of catalyst to get them back out in the world and interacting again.JA: I always gravitate towards policy change, that is the organizer mindset. But organizing interventions doesn't necessarily mean we're changing a law or getting somebody to not vote for something. It also means maybe we put together a walking club, maybe we put together a chess league, because building those social connections is really key to establishing relationships.AJ: What does it look like when research like this translates into meaningful neighborhood level policy change?JA: Oftentimes, when we do research, it sits on a shelf or it sits on a website and we don't necessarily do anything with it. This project is different, because not only are we doing the research, we're also providing the interventions, and trying to establish long term relationships between people that go beyond the research itself. So when we think about policy change, it's just a natural evolution to the work that we're doing.We want to do something with the research. We don't want to just talk about the problems. We want to try to address the problems.AJ: Before I let you guys go, what do you think is one small thing people can do in their own lives or communities to help combat loneliness?LA: Reach out to someone everyday. Text someone, call someone, email someone that maybe you haven't talked to in a little bit. But just those low level, everyday, mundane, sort of boring connections — that is really what will sustain you throughout the life course.JA: I cannot express how important those small points of communication and connection can be for somebody, especially if they're dealing with deep depression, especially if they feel powerless, especially if they feel all alone. You know that text could literally save a life. Because of that, you never know what somebody's struggle is and what they're going through. Figure out a way to reach out to somebody. ...read more read less