Pen pal event aims to fight loneliness in assisted living

LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) - Home Instead, a local in-home care business, hosted a pen pal event on Wednesday to help foster relationships with people in assisted living.

A 2020 University of Michigan study found 56% of older adults feel isolated. Home Instead wanted to help lower that percentage in Lincoln. Staff set up colorful stationary, pens, stickers and snacks and invited the community to write letters throughout the day. Home Instead staff told visitors to write these letters like “any other letter” and to include their names, favorite activities and questions for the people who read it. Assistant living residents will then have the opportunity to write letters back to their pen pals.

“They’re very excited to hear from other people,” owner Andy Gorman said. “They are kinda taken back by what people say and reading and connecting with someone through that, I think, brings them back to a different time and really helps them to feel like people are thinking about them, that people care about them.”

Home Instead is hoping to send 100 letters to four different facilities in Lincoln. People can drop off or mail letters to Home Instead at 1400 Dahlberg Drive, Suite E until June 9.

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