
End Isolation & Loneliness
Social Isolation & Loneliness: What’s the Difference?
- Social Isolation: The objective experience of having few or infrequent social connections.
- Loneliness: The subjective and distressing feeling of being alone or isolated, often defined as the difference between actual and desired level of social connection.
- Social Connection: The ways that people can be physically, emotionally, and culturally connected to others.

Loneliness and social isolation have serious physical and mental health implications in older adults and people with disabilities.
In older adults:
A study by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine showed:
In people with disabilities:
A Michigan University health policy brief developed under a grant from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research showed:
Wisconsin Coalition to End Social Isolation & Loneliness (WCESIL)
The Wisconsin Coalition to End Social Isolation and Loneliness (WCESIL) brings community organizations and individuals together to make that happen. WIHA participates in WCESIL.
Learn More about the Coalition:
The Wisconsin Coalition to End Social Isolation & Loneliness (WCESIL) encourages individuals and organizations from all across the state to join us in finding and supporting people who are lonely and/or socially isolated. As a member, you’ll have the opportunity to join a work group to play a role in the effort or simply stay informed about coalition activities and initiatives.
To register your organization as a member, please fill out the agreement:
To join as an individual, please fill out the appropriate form below and let us know your interests and availability. We will follow up with you to facilitate your participation.