Social connection is a lot like the weather - we all talk about it, but no one does anything about it. This newsletter is here to change that: to raise awareness about the importance of connection and create a space for real conversation.

With all due respect to Mrs. Ask Ken and Ask Ken Jr., there is nothing like traveling by yourself. There is both freedom to it, and a challenge: knowing that you will have to navigate the unknown by yourself and engage and connect with people who you don’t know at all. If you want to think about it from the perspective of social connection, what could be more broadening than dropping the walls of the familiar and routine? 

Of course, it is not so simple as showing up at the airport and catching the next flight east.  There are things to consider, especially as a solo female traveler: 

You don’t have to be Marco Polo or Thor Hyerdahl though. Marco and Thor are great role models if you want to sail a balsa wood raft from South America to the Polynesian islands or something like that, but most of us aren’t quite up to that. Fortunately, there are many companies that make special provision for solo travelers and are an excellent starting point: Saga, Eldertreks, or Road Scholar in particular, and you can’t go wrong with a Rick Steves trip to Europe (you can listen to an Ask Ken interview with Rick Steves here). And places like TripAdvisor's Solo Travel board and Facebook groups for solo women travelers can be goldmines of information and advice. 

And you are in luck. You might think of Ask Ken as your local, mild-mannered social connection advice columnist, but deep down, I am a frustrated travel agent just waiting to share my favorite travel stories. As a first-time solo traveler, think about Ireland (no language barrier, friendly people, stunning countryside, easy to get around), Italy (art, culture, food, and more food), or New Zealand (stunning scenery, safe, and you will love the sheep-shearing in Rotorua). If you want to stay in the US, consider Chicago for its food, music, and futile baseball legacy; Nashville for its food, music, and endless bachelorette parties; or New Orleans for its food, music, and humidity. You can’t go wrong with this list.   

There is an entire world waiting for you, Becky. Have fun with it! 

Do you have a social connection question for Ken?

This Week in Social Connection

It’s surprising enough to see a working pay phone these days, but add to it a sign that says, “call a boomer”, then it becomes something that will stop you in your tracks. Perhaps that is why so many people are lined up in front of the phone, outside a busy coffee shop on Boston University campus. And it only rings in one place, on a similar phone marked “call a Zoomer” in the lobby of Sierra Manor, a senior resident facility in Reno, Nevada. 

It’s an experiment designed by a company called Matter Neuroscience, with the goal of connecting Gen Z with Boomers, two generations experiencing high rates of loneliness.  Over the last month, dozens of calls between the two generations have been logged (and recorded by Matter Neuroscience). Students and seniors have discussed the weather in their respective states, compared their college experiences, and shared family backgrounds. You can listen to one of the conversations here. 

Sure, it’s a gimmick. Matter Neuroscience has previously put up “Democrat” and “Republican” phones in California and Texas respectively and, last we checked, the partisan divide has not been healed, but as gimmicks go, the ones that talk about the importance of social connection and bridging the generational divide are good by us. The phones are currently scheduled to stay up until April 7, so hurry to Boston or Reno if you want to make an intergenerational connection – or perhaps just start a conversation in your own neighborhood if you insist on being efficient about it. 

Social Connection in the News

Mid-life is hard enough already on many women, and now along comes a study from Shandong University in China that reveals heightened risks associated with loneliness and social isolation in the perimenopause years. The new study found that loneliness and social isolation can significantly impact brain health for women going through perimenopause - the years leading up to menopause, usually between ages 45 and 55. Researchers followed over 900 women and found that those experiencing both loneliness and social isolation were at the highest risk for cognitive decline, including memory, attention, and processing speed. 

Women with moderate to severe loneliness plus social isolation were eight times more likely to experience cognitive decline, while even mild loneliness with isolation nearly tripled the risk. The findings highlight how emotional and social connections play a key role in protecting cognitive health during menopause, suggesting that fostering strong social ties could help women maintain brain function as they age. 

The finding is particularly notable since prior research has shown that women face higher rates of cognitive decline when it comes to global cognition and executive function (though not memory). The good news, such as it is, is that women start with higher cognitive functioning than men at baseline in these studies – but perhaps you already suspected that. 

Share the Buzz Now!

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