Sangha of Auspicious Companions

The Older Adults Conquering Loneliness Through Storytelling

In the sanctuary of shared stories, Life Story Club fosters connection among older adults fighting the epidemic of loneliness. Here, voices like Wanda’s, who found solace in a porcelain doll during chemotherapy, reveal the healing power of communal storytelling. The club, rooted in empathy and nostalgia, becomes both refuge and remedy as participants reflect on their lives, bridging the isolation that so often shadows old age. Bernd, once skeptical, now treasures the bonds formed in these circles. He reflects, “Hearing your stories — feeling connected — is so important to me.” This effort, a social prescription against loneliness, champions the wisdom of past generations and advocates for a society where dignity and connection defy time’s passage.

Be The Change

Host a story-sharing circle in your local community. Gather a crew of friends, neighbors, colleagues, or relatives to peek into the time capsules of wisdom that have washed up on the shores of each other’s lives. Step-it-up by hosting a circle at a senior center or an intentionally intergenerational circle. Brainstorm a list of story-inducing prompts, like, “What’s an accident that changed the trajectory of your life?”