The Social Side of Aging: Why Social Connection and Healthy Aging Go Hand in Hand

Written by Jackie Paunil, Creator of the Young Heart Yoga App, E-RYT, RPYT, CHC, MFA

Empowering older adults to move, breathe, and thrive with grace and vitality.

Aging well isn't only about what you eat, how much you exercise, or whether you can still get up from the floor without negotiating with your knees first.

It's also about social connection and healthy aging.

Who do you talk to? Who makes you laugh? Who notices when you haven't shown up? Who encourages you to try something new? And where do you feel that you belong?

These questions matter because social connection is increasingly recognized as an important part of health and well-being as we age.

Connection Is More Than Being Around People

Loneliness and social isolation are related, but they aren't the same thing. Loneliness is the subjective feeling that your relationships aren't as satisfying or meaningful as you would like. Social isolation refers more objectively to having limited social relationships or contact with others (National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine [NASEM], 2020).

You can live alone and feel perfectly connected. You can also live in a busy household and feel lonely. Human connection isn't simply a head count.

Research suggests that both loneliness and social isolation are associated with important health outcomes in older adults. A 2025 systematic review and meta-analysis of 86 studies found associations between loneliness, social isolation, living alone, and increased all-cause mortality, although the researchers noted substantial variation among studies (Nakou et al., 2025).

Earlier research has similarly found an association between stronger social relationships and greater survival across a large body of observational evidence (Holt-Lunstad et al., 2010). Research specifically examining older adults has also found associations between loneliness, smaller social networks, and mortality, although effect sizes were relatively small and varied across studies (Schutter et al., 2022).

Why Community Can Be Part of Healthy Aging

This is where community and wellness intersect.

Connection doesn't have to mean maintaining a giant social calendar. For many older adults, meaningful connection may come from a weekly class, a walking group, volunteering, a book club, a neighbor, a family phone call, or simply having somewhere you regularly show up.

Those repeated interactions can create familiarity, encouragement, purpose, and a sense of belonging.

And sometimes, the activity itself is only half the benefit.

A yoga class, for example, gives you an opportunity to move, breathe, learn, and practice body awareness. But it can also give you a reason to leave the house, see familiar faces, exchange a few laughs, and feel part of something. Yoga community can be one pathway to connection—but it isn't the only one.

Connection Is Part of the Bigger Picture

Healthy aging is multidimensional. Movement, strength, cardiovascular activity, nutrition, sleep, mental stimulation, stress management, and medical care all have their place.

So does connection.

Think of social connection as another form of nourishment—one that doesn't come in a bottle, doesn't require counting calories, and is considerably more enjoyable when accompanied by laughter.

If you're feeling disconnected, start small. Send a text. Invite someone for a walk. Join a class. Volunteer. Reconnect with an old friend. Find an activity you genuinely enjoy and show up regularly.

You don't have to build an entirely new social life by Tuesday.

Find Your Practice—and Your People

Your wellness practice doesn't have to happen in isolation. The Young Heart Yoga App brings together yoga, meditation, and Community Support so you can practice movement and mindfulness while staying connected to a community that understands that staying active, curious, and engaged is part of aging well.

Download the Young Heart Yoga App and explore the yoga and meditation courses—and discover a place to practice, connect, and keep your young heart engaged.

About the Author

Jackie Paunil is a published author, wellness advocate, and creator of the Young Heart Yoga App, designed for active and older adults seeking balance, vitality, and mindfulness. With certifications including E-RYT, RPYT, CHC, and an MFA, Jackie combines her extensive training and life experience to inspire others to live with purpose and wellness.

Residing on a ranch in Casa Grande, Arizona, Jackie leads an organic lifestyle surrounded by animals she adores. She is a devoted wife, mother, proud “GiGi” to her grandchildren, and a world traveler who has explored the depths as a master scuba diver. Her in-person yoga and meditation classes, alongside her app, reflect her passion for helping others thrive. Jackie's teaching philosophy is grounded in her own holistic practices, empowering students to embrace sustainable, joyful movement and mindfulness for a more vibrant life.

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References

• Holt-Lunstad, J., Smith, T. B., & Layton, J. B. (2010). Social relationships and mortality risk: A meta-analytic review. PLoS Medicine, 7(7), e1000316. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1000316

• National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (2020). Social isolation and loneliness in older adults: Opportunities for the health care system. The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/25663

• Nakou, A., Dragioti, E., Bastas, N.-S., Zagorianakou, N., Kakaidi, V., Tsartsalis, D., Mantzoukas, S., Tatsis, F., Veronese, N., Solmi, M., & Gouva, M. (2025). Loneliness, social isolation, and living alone: A comprehensive systematic review, meta-analysis, and meta-regression of mortality risks in older adults. Aging Clinical and Experimental Research, 37(1), 29. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40520-024-02925-1

• Schutter, N., Holwerda, T. J., Comijs, H. C., Stek, M. L., Peen, J., & Dekker, J. J. M. (2022). Loneliness, social network size and mortality in older adults: A meta-analysis. European Geriatric Medicine, 13, 1081–1092. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41999-022-00676-2