On March 12, Suzanne McCormick, the president and CEO of YMCA of the USA, testified before the Senate Special Committee on Aging, advocating for stronger community support and increased funding to combat senior loneliness. The hearing, titled “Breaking the Cycle of Senior Loneliness: Strengthening Families and Community Support,” focused on the health risks of social isolation and how organizations like the YMCA play a crucial role in fostering social connectedness among older adults.
“It’s a privilege to testify before the Senate Select Committee on Aging about the work that the Y does to support seniors across the country,” said McCormick. “We know we’re making a positive difference in their lives by connecting them to supportive people and communities.”
According to McCormick, nearly 4 million YMCA members are over 55 years old, with 2.5 million over 65, making seniors the fastest-growing segment of Y membership. She highlighted findings from a study conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago, which showed older adults who engage with YMCA programs experience “significant increases in overall well-being and social connectedness, a decrease in loneliness, and improvements in well-being, physical health and mental health.”
McCormick pointed to partnerships with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation as key to delivering evidence-based programs that help prevent or manage chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and arthritis. She noted the YMCA’s Diabetes Prevention Program saved $2,650 per participant while preventing or delaying diabetes among the majority of recipients.
McCormick urged Congress to support continued funding for CDC programs, protect Medicare Advantage’s ability to offer supplemental fitness and socialization benefits, and ensure Medicaid can help low-income seniors improve their physical and mental health.
“The mortality rate of being socially disconnected is similar to the impact of smoking 15 cigarettes a day, and greater than the impact associated with obesity and inactivity,” McCormick stated during her testimony, emphasizing the urgency of addressing senior loneliness.
She concluded by reinforcing the YMCA’s commitment to partnering with senior centers, libraries and places of worship to expand outreach efforts and improve the well-being of older adults nationwide.
“Every dollar invested in community-based organizations like YMCAs – organizations with trusted relationships and on-the-ground credibility – pays a dividend in the form of improved health and wellness, especially for our older adults,” said McCormick.
You can watch the full hearing here.
