The Question:
How are Social Isolation, Loneliness, and Lack of Connection Impacting Rutland County?
The Data Project
There are currently no overall measurements in place in Rutland County that specifically assess social isolation, loneliness, and lack of connection. Since 2022, we have been working on a county-wide landscape analysis that will help us more clearly understand how social isolation and loneliness might be showing up in Rutland County. This analysis includes:
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Review of national research around social isolation and loneliness and identify a clear list of indicators or consequences that result from social isolation and loneliness or a lack of connection.
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Compile existing data from Rutland County that is associated with the identified indicators.
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Work with local partners and disseminate surveys to fill in gaps in data.
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Review all compiled Rutland County data to find correlations of social isolation and loneliness impacts.
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Generate a report of findings and share with our community.
This landscape analysis is one more step towards reducing and healing loneliness and isolation in Rutland County. This will help us to raise local awareness of this root cause issue and how it is impacting our communities. The results will help to build local collaboration, identify and prioritize local projects that reduce isolation and loneliness and increase connection in Rutland County.
“The latest Healthy Minds Monthly Poll from the American Psychiatric Association (APA) finds that, early in 2024, 30% of adults say they have experienced feelings of loneliness at least once a week over the past year, while 10% say they are lonely every day. Younger people were more likely to experience these feelings, with 30% of Americans aged 18-34 saying they were lonely every day or several times a week, and single adults are nearly twice as likely as married adults to say they have been lonely on a weekly basis over the past year (39% vs. 22%).”
