Senior Page -- Brewster COA: Be A Good Neighbor

BREWSTER – Can you guess which of the following is an actual holiday? The nominees are National Pretzel Day, National Miniature Golf Day, April Fool’s Day or National Good Neighbor Day. If you said National Good Neighbor Day, you win. 

First created in the early 1970s in Lakeside, Mont. the day was made a national holiday by President Jimmy Carter in 1978. This year the Brewster Council on Aging decided to mark the holiday, which always falls on Sept. 28, by helping residents make connections with their neighbors. The COA teamed with the Brewster Ladies’ Library to hand out bookmarks with helpful tips that can add up to stronger connections for everyone in the community. 

The tips prompted neighbors to watch out for each other. Questions on the bookmarks might include “Did you notice that there was damage to a neighbor’s house, or an overflowing mailbox?” Or maybe “Have you seen a pet left outside too long, or an overgrown lawn?” Or “Has an elderly neighbor suddenly broken a regular routine?”

The answer was the same - it may be time to check in with them. And by watching out for the safety and security of our neighbors, we can also help address loneliness and isolation.

Recent research has shown that instead of thinking of a good neighbor as someone you could count on, people often consider a good neighbor as someone who is quiet and leaves you alone. According to the website www.NationalGoodNeighborDay.org, that has led to more isolation, fewer friendships, and a loneliness epidemic. 

In 2023, the United States Surgeon General declared loneliness a public health crisis, noting that “loneliness is far more than just a bad feeling—it harms both individual and societal health. It is associated with a greater risk of cardiovascular

disease, dementia, stroke, depression, anxiety, and premature death. The mortality impact of being socially disconnected is similar to that caused by smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day, and even greater than that associated with obesity and physical inactivity.”

 While the Brewster Council on Aging is working to develop additional programming on this topic over the next 12 months, residents and others are encouraged to get involved in ways that work for them. Churches, coffee shops and neighborhood associations are encouraged to do more to help make local connections and counter isolation. Guides offering specific suggestions are available at www.NationalGoodNeighborDay.org. Inviting neighbors for refreshments on the lawn, delivering cookies or saying hello and introducing yourself to new neighbors can be important steps to making connections.

As one participant wrote, “I eventually discovered it wasn’t the size of the gesture; it was more about caring enough to make a connection with a neighbor. Any act of kindness toward a neighbor is appreciated if it helps to strengthen the relationship.”