Written by 
Technology can dramatically improve our personal efficiency. But if we’re not careful, it can quietly reduce our humanity.
To truly connect with others, we have to be intentional about how we use technology. Instead of drifting into mindless digital interaction, we can choose meaningful human connection. Sometimes the most powerful step is simply this: disconnect to really connect.
We feel more connected with a warm hug, a shared laugh, the sound of someone’s voice, or the sight of a genuine smile. These moments have no digital equivalent. That’s exactly why they matter so much.
Connection becomes even more important as we age. Older adults face a significant challenge. By the time people reach their seventies, the average person spends more than seven waking hours a day alone. For adults over sixty-five, social isolation significantly increases the risk of mortality and cognitive decline.
Isolated seniors experience dementia at higher rates, and memory can decline at nearly twice the rate of those who remain socially connected. Additionally, these disconnected seniors had a 29% increased risk of heart disease and a 32% increased risk of stroke.
On the other hand, people who engage in more social interactions literally have larger brains and more gray matter. So, it is important for anyone at any age to build and maintain positive human interactions, as they are life-extending, life-saving, and life-enhancing.
