Minnesota Sen Tina Smith backs bill combat senior loneliness [Video]

U.S. Senator Tina Smith (DFL- MN) is advocating for a new bill combating isolation issues among seniors as “the loneliness epidemic” becomes more of a problem.

In Smith’s home state of Minnesota, 30% of residents 65 and older are living alone and this “epidemic” has proven deadly, causing higher rates of heart disease, stroke, and depression.

Senator Smith says she hopes to put an emphasis on the issue.

“This authorizes activities by the federal government, and when you’re building programs to support seniors, you need to be thinking about how it will help them address issues of loneliness.”

Steve Hoover with The Central Minnesota Council on Aging says these solo agers can face a variety challenges.

“These are people who really have no one else,” Hoover explains. “They don’t have children, they don’t have a spouse, they may never have been married. They’re concerned about just who’s going to get …