The COVID-19 pandemic brought a bright spotlight to social isolation which was experienced by many Americans to prevent the spread of the virus.  My parents who are now in their 80s were completely isolated from friends and relatives for many months.  My PhD student co-author and I thought about this experience of our parents and grandparents, and we were both concerned that extended periods of social isolation might have harmful effects on older adults.  Both the U.S. Surgeon General and the National Academy of Medicine have issued recent warnings about the growing public health concern of social isolation and loneliness and its association with premature death among older adults.

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