'Loneliness At Epidemic Levels'? - The Generator Project Has A Solution Starting This Weekend

Increased Face To Face Social Interaction Key To Battling Loneliness

TORONTO, May 1, 2018 /CNW/ - Today's release of Cigna's new national survey exploring the impact of loneliness in the United States suggests that loneliness is at epidemic levels across America. A startling and disturbing finding, yet perhaps not altogether unexpected given how busy our day-to-day lives have become. The good news is that the easiest and best solution is within each of our control. Increased face to face social interaction will greatly reduce a person's loneliness score and The Generator Project is encouraging people to take action this weekend during the first of our twice-annual Generator Weekends happening May 4, 5 and 6.

"At The Generator Project, our mission is to encourage people to make face to face connections with friends, family and neighbours. Since 2016, we have been suggesting people should make one of our Generator Weekends their excuse to make those connections," said Pete Bombaci, Founder of The Generator Project. "Granted this is a survey of our neighbours south of the border, but the numbers are in line with what our research has shown to be similar in Canada as well. The bottom line is we can all benefit from a little more face to face socializing – starting with this weekend."

Among the findings of the survey (conducted in partnership with market research firm, Ipsos) of more than 20,000 U.S. adults ages 18 years and older:

• People who engage in frequent meaningful in-person interactions have much lower loneliness scores and report better health than those who rarely interact with others face-to-face.
  
  
• Nearly half of Americans report sometimes or always feeling alone (46 percent) or left out (47 percent).
  
  
• One in four Americans (27 percent) rarely or never feel as though there are people who really understand them. 
  
  
• Two in five Americans sometimes or always feel that their relationships are not meaningful (43 percent) and that they are isolated from others (43 percent). 
  
  
• One in five people report they rarely or never feel close to people (20 percent) or feel like there are people they can talk to (18 percent).
  
  
• Only around half of Americans (53 percent) have meaningful in-person social interactions, such as having an extended conversation with a friend or spending quality time with family, on a daily basis. 
  
  
• Generation Z (adults ages 18-22) is the loneliest generation and claims to be in worse health than older generations. 
  
  
• Social media use alone is not a predictor of loneliness; respondents defined as very heavy users of social media have a loneliness score (43.5) that is not markedly different from the score of those who never use social media (41.7).

This May 4, 5 and 6, people are encouraged to find some time to step off the treadmill, put down the technology and connect with friends, family and their community, face to face. Become a generator of great conversations and connections by sending out your invite and registering your event at GeneratorProject.org – together we can change the world around us one conversation at a time.

HOW TO JOIN THE MOVEMENT

• Go to GeneratorProject.org check out ideas, download invitations and register your event
• Power down and connect face-to-face for a period of time over the Generator Weekend, from Friday May 4 at 5pm thru to Sunday May 6 at midnight.
• Share your amazing stories about getting connected after your event on our Generator Project Facebook, Twitter or Instagram accounts, but keep it till after the event so you can stay in the moment with friends, family or your neighbours!

For more information, or to connect with us online, please visit www.GeneratorProject.org.

About The Generator Project.

The Generator Project is a movement that was inspired by the summer Blackout of 2003 on the Eastern seaboard of Canada and the United States. With no ability to connect with people through technology and with most businesses on hold, people connected. Face-to-face.  With their friends, with their family and with their neighbours. The Generator Project is about reminding people about the importance of those connections and inspiring them to take action and create healthy connection habits ongoing. Join the movement, bring your community together, become a Generator. www.GeneratorProject.org.

SOURCE The Generator Project

For media inquiries, please contact: Jamie Deans, [email protected], 647.284.7710