Governor Kathy Hochul nowadays introduced that she has appointed Dr. Ruth Westheimer as the country’s first Ambassador to Loneliness. In accepting the honorary identify, the long-lasting communicate display host pledged to assist New Yorkers of every age cope with the rising factor of social isolation, which is related to a couple of bodily and psychological well being problems, together with cognitive decline, anxiousness, despair, cardiovascular issues, weakened immunity, Alzheimer’s illness, and untimely dying.
“As New York works to fight the loneliness epidemic, some help from honorary Ambassador Ruth Westheimer may be just what the doctor ordered,” Governor Hochul stated. “Dr. Ruth Westheimer has offered her services to help older adults and all New Yorkers cope with the loneliness epidemic and I will be appointing her to serve as the nation’s first state-level honorary Ambassador to Loneliness. Studies show individuals experiencing loneliness had a 32 percent higher risk of dying early and we need leaders like Dr. Ruth to help address this critical component of our mental health crisis.”
A survivor orphaned by the Holocaust, Westheimer rose to prominence as a sex therapist and syndicated talk show host on both radio and television during the 1980s and 1990s. Last year, the 95-year-old resident of the Bronx suggested the idea of becoming an ‘ambassador’ for the state to provide fellow New Yorkers with advice on how to address loneliness and isolation –especially amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dr. Ruth Westheimer said, “Hallelujah! I got off the phone with Governor Hochul yesterday afternoon. She called to ask me to serve as the very first Honorary Ambassador to Loneliness in the nation. I am deeply honored and promised the Governor that I will work day and night to help New Yorkers feel less lonely!”
More than a 3rd of adults 45 or older enjoy loneliness, with just about 1 / 4 of adults 65 or older regarded as socially remoted, a recent study by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine found. Loneliness is defined as the feeling of being alone, regardless of the amount of social contact, while social isolation refers to a lack of social connections.
Social isolation significantly increased the risk of premature death from all causes, the study found, rivaling the risk posed by other detrimental health conditions or behaviors, including smoking, obesity, and physical inactivity. Social isolation has been associated with an approximately 50 percent increased risk of developing dementia, while poor social relationships– characterized by social isolation or loneliness– have been associated with a 29 percent increased risk of heart disease and a 32 percent increased risk of stroke.
Under Governor Hochul’s leadership, New York State is taking steps to develop age-friendly communities and build a more robust system of mental health care. Last year, Governor Hochul signed an executive order to create the state’s first-ever Master Plan for Aging to ensure older New Yorkers can live healthy, fulfilling lives while aging with dignity and independence.
The New York State Office for the Aging (NYSOFA) is now working with the state Department of Health to develop this comprehensive plan, which will recommend age-friendly policies to influence community development, transportation, and other supports needed to allow all New Yorkers to participate socially as they age. Last summer, the Master Plan for Aging’s council and advisory committee released a preliminary report, with the final report slated to be delivered by 2025.
The Office of Mental Health (OMH) is now implementing Governor Hochul’s landmark $1 Billion plan to build out New York’s continuum of mental health care, which was adopted in May as part of the FY 2024 State Budget. Part of this multi-year plan includes investing $60 million in capital and $121.6 million operating funding to dramatically expand outpatient services, which can provide a stigma-free environment to help New Yorkers experiencing mental health issues like anxiety or depression.
The state is now working to triple the number of Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics, which serve New Yorkers experiencing mental health issues or substance use disorders regardless of where they reside or their ability to pay for these services. These clinics will be expanded from 13 to 39 by July 2025.
New York State Office for the Aging Director Greg Olsen said, “For many years, the general public has became to Dr. Ruth Westheimer as an expert with wide-reaching affect who spoke to us eloquently and candidly about problems which can be elementary to who we’re and the way we have interaction with one every other in a fancy international. I will bring to mind nobody higher than Dr. Ruth Westheimer to connect to New Yorkers of every age and assist raise the problem of social isolation, which is amongst our most sensible public well being demanding situations, albeit a hidden one. I applaud Governor Hochulfor this daring and ancient appointment. I additionally glance ahead to running with Dr. Ruth Westheimer to carry consciousness of projects already carried out on the New York State Office for the Aging to fight loneliness and isolation, development on those successes throughout every age.”
Office of Mental Health Commissioner Dr. Ann Sullivan stated, “Loneliness and social isolation have long been linked to poor mental health outcomes, including depression and anxiety, and has been associated with dementia in older adults. As an orphaned survivor of the Holocaust and with her international fame as a talk show host, the estimable Dr. Ruth Westheimer is very well suited to raise awareness of this issue and encourage people of all ages to address issues of isolation in their lives and among their families. We look forward to working with this national icon to help all New Yorkers seek and maintain healthy connections in their community throughout life and as they age.”