An 81-year-old explains her simple solution to make sure loneliness doesn’t become ‘a way of life’ – and what she thinks stands in the way of forming connections

• Patricia Backlund, 81, combats loneliness by organizing a weekly “Friday mingle” for her community.
• Her efforts reflect a larger, global initiative to address loneliness and promote social connection.
• The impacts of loneliness can be especially harmful for older adults who might not have many relationships.

Patricia Backlund, 81, wouldn’t describe herself as lonely — but she knows how easy it is to become that way.

When Backlund and her husband moved to Gig Harbor, Washington, six years ago, she initially chose a home in a 55-plus community. However, she later decided that she wanted a more independent setting, so she moved to a nearby community that was still being built — meaning none of the residents knew each other very well.

Backlund decided to change that by organizing a weekly meetup that she started in June and now calls the “Friday mingle,” where about 20 to 30 people in the community meet in the pavilion to simply talk to one another for a couple of hours.

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