I have been a nurse for over 20 years and a nurse practitioner for over 10 years. As a home-based primary care provider, I have had the pleasure of visiting thousands of homes to care for the medical care of older adults. As a healthcare provider, I have learned that there is no better way to know someone than by visiting their home. 

The home expresses a person's culture, passions, struggles, and hopes. Homes also reveal if the person is surrounded by others who care about them or if they are alone. Some of the most content people I have cared for are those surrounded by the ones they love. But unfortunately, more and more research shows that Americans are becoming increasingly more lonely--- not more connected. The epidemic of loneliness is directly impacting people's health.

One recent US study showed that the combination of psychological distress and social isolation is associated with a significant increase in healthcare utilization. The US Health and Retirement study showed that 37-56% of older adults reported loneliness in 2012. Loneliness is associated with multiple health conditions, with one study noting that the health impacts of loneliness are worse than smoking 15 cigarettes per day! 

Loneliness is the direct result of the disintegration of the community. One of the reasons that I started this blog and company is to help people integrate practices in their homes that lead to more connection with others and combat loneliness. 

So, for today's home tips, I wanted to discuss the importance of design in your living room with connection in mind. Think about your living room. Is it centered around the TV as a shrine? Consider what you want to achieve with your living room-- if you want to move toward more connection with others, consider finding ways to hide the TV or replace the background noise with a record player or cool Marshall speaker. 

Consider building a conversation circle by angling chairs toward the couch or placing large poufs in front of the TV to complete the circle. A larger pouf can even double as an end table. Consider adding some comfort elements for others, including keeping some cozy throws in a basket or keeping tables close to seating areas for drinks or books. 

I believe that by integrating small elements of hygge into the home, we can push back against the loneliness in our communities and foster moments of life instead!