New funding to help Toronto Public Library expand resources for seniors
Loneliness and social isolation are known to affect the health of seniors in several ways, said Dr. Samir Sinha, a geriatrician and co-chair of the City of Toronto’s senior strategy.
“The key reason why social isolation, loneliness is such a public health concern is that extreme loneliness has been associated with smoking the equivalent of 15 cigarettes a day,” Sinha said. “So it can certainly increase negative impacts on people’s health and well-being.”
“The opportunity to prescribe the library, if you will, as a way for people to become more connected, more engaged in their local communities … can be a huge lift for a person’s overall health and well-being,” he said.
