January 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 22
HEALTH AND WELL-BEING
Participants
join hands in
an energy stick
connection
experiment to
learn about
the power of
connection at
the Colorado
Public Health/
Parks and
Recreation
Collaborative
Summit 2024.
Loneliness: The Hidden Epidemic
How parks and recreation can save the day
By Jo Burns, M.S., CTRS
E
22 Parks & Recreation |
ver had that moment in a park, watching people laugh and play,
and thought, " Wow, it's lonely out here? " You're not alone. In
fact, loneliness is hitting epidemic levels in the United States,
and park and recreation professionals are in the perfect position
to save the day.
The Loneliness Epidemic
Here's
the
scoop:
Between 41
percent and 79 percent of people
report feeling lonely, depending
on the generation (tinyurl.com/
yc44cbtd). People are reporting
fewer
meaningful
connections,
with only about 16 percent feeling
very attached to their communities
(tinyurl.com/2x6yfj75). This creates
a golden opportunity for park
and recreation departments.
As Brené Brown says, " Connection
is why we're here; it's what
gives purpose and meaning to our
lives. " So, let's talk about how park
and recreation departments can
foster these connections.
More Than Swings
and Slides
Park and recreation professionals
are community builders. That
time you organized a movie night
or pickleball tournament? Those
events are more than fun - they're
essential for combating loneliness.
These moments of shared popcorn
and friendly competition create a
sense of belonging.
J ANUAR Y 2 0 2 5 | PARK S ANDRECRE AT ION . OR G
In other words, park and recreation
departments are social engineers
with cooler job titles. You
provide places for people to come
together - fostering social connections
that benefit not only individuals,
but also entire communities.
Why Social Connectedness
Matters
Loneliness isn't just sad - it's unhealthy.
It can be as harmful as
smoking 15 cigarettes a day, according
to the 2023 Surgeon General
Advisory, " Our Epidemic of
Loneliness and Isolation " (tinyurl.
com/2n2xee23).
Social
anxiety,
connections
reduce the likelihood of developing
depression
or
early
cognitive decline, and they
can even lower blood pressure
PHOTO COURTESY OF COLORADO PUBLIC HEALTH/PARKS
AND RECREATION COLLABORATIVE
http://tinyurl.com/yc44cbtd
http://tinyurl.com/2n2xee23
http://tinyurl.com/2x6yfj75
January 2025 – Parks & Recreation
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of January 2025 – Parks & Recreation
January 2025 – Parks & Recreation - Intro
January 2025 – Parks & Recreation - Cover1
January 2025 – Parks & Recreation - Cover2
January 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 1
January 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 2
January 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 3
January 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 4
January 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 5
January 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 6
January 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 7
January 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 8
January 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 9
January 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 10
January 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 11
January 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 12
January 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 13
January 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 14
January 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 15
January 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 16
January 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 17
January 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 18
January 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 19
January 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 20
January 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 21
January 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 22
January 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 23
January 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 24
January 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 25
January 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 26
January 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 27
January 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 28
January 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 29
January 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 30
January 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 31
January 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 32
January 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 33
January 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 34
January 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 35
January 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 36
January 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 37
January 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 38
January 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 39
January 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 40
January 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 41
January 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 42
January 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 43
January 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 44
January 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 45
January 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 46
January 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 47
January 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 48
January 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 49
January 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 50
January 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 51
January 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 52
January 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 53
January 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 54
January 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 55
January 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 56
January 2025 – Parks & Recreation - Cover3
January 2025 – Parks & Recreation - Cover4
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2025
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2024
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2024
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2024
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2024
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2024
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2024
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2024
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2024
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2024
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2024
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2024
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2024
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2021
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2021
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2021
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2021
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2021
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2021
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2021
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2021
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2021
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2021
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com