In October 2023, Rural Voice co-founder and host Kerri Miller traveled to Little Falls to talk about social isolation in greater Minnesota. Community members said it’s easy to feel disconnected and alone, especially if they struggle with some kind of mental health challenge.

This September, Miller took the same question to Wadena. Social isolation is when a person objectively doesn’t have relationships or contact with others. It’s similar to loneliness, which is when people subjectively feel isolated. Both are rampant in rural communities, especially among older residents. And because social isolation is tied closely to other health outcomes, it has implications for all.

Rural Voice in Wadena

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Wadena residents swapped stories of recognizing isolation in their community. They also shared ideas for combatting it, which ranged from systemic overhauls, like bringing in more therapists, to more personal interventions, like how churches and community organizations can respond to neighbors who seem alone.

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