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Homer Glen panel: Experts call loneliness a public‑health issue and outline age‑specific strategies
Summary
Local clinicians and recovery specialists told a Homer Glen committee that loneliness is linked to serious health risks and shared practical, age‑tailored strategies — from school social‑emotional programs and music therapy for teens to small daily connections and community programs for older adults.
Alexandra, a therapy‑practice founder and member of the Village of Homer Glen Behavioral Health and Addiction Recovery Committee, opened the roundtable by calling loneliness “more than just a feeling,” noting the 2023 U.S. Surgeon General designation and saying "approximately 37 percent" of U.S. adults experience moderate to severe loneliness (23 percent moderate, 14 percent severe).
Panelists described how loneliness appears differently at each life stage and recommended targeted responses. "Frustration can build to withdrawal or defiance, then anxiety, then depression," said Dr. Tony Delich, a retired pediatrician, who urged earlier…
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