Building Lasting Relationships for Longevity: Lessons from the Ranch - Rancho La Puerta
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Longevity and Creating Lasting Relationships

At almost 103 years old, our co-founder, Deborah Szekely, is the best example of longevity. Deborah says she thinks of The Ranch as a person and that her relationships and social interactions with The Ranch have played a significant part in keeping her active and healthy in her lengthy, illustrious life.

Longevity and creating lasting relationships are themes we want to explore for the Ranch’s 85th year.

In my career, I formed friendships and bonds with people I worked with; after all, I spent eight to ten hours a day with these people.  For those in their retirement years, going to work daily had socializing built in. During our working years, we are involved with co-workers and see others at work and often outside of work at social functions. When kids are at home, we are engaged with their schools, activities, and with other parents. Once one retires, many of these relationships cease to exist. And for those still in their working years, it is estimated that over 36 million employees are working remotely, missing out on daily personal interactions.  

Sociologists and mental health workers consider loneliness an epidemic in the US. A recent study concluded that the lack of interpersonal connections primarily affects those under 18 and those over 65. A therapist I recently spoke with who works exclusively with teens attributes social media and rapidly advancing technology as factors contributing to our youth’s loneliness. There are fewer in-person and sustainable connections. 

In the past 10 years, increased research has been done on isolation and loneliness. The pandemic in 2020 shined a light on how essential community and social interaction are for humans. The pandemic turned zooming into a household activity. I had never heard of it, and suddenly, people were constantly on Zoom to stay in touch—not as rewarding as person-to-person interaction, but interaction just the same.   

The latest research findings show that loneliness and isolation negatively affect our longevity. Health risks include an increase in incidents of chronic disease, heart disease, stroke, and inflammation.  Prolonged isolation and loneliness have been shown to suppress immune function. One’s mental health can also be affected by increases in depression, anxiety, and cognitive decline.   

 Often, when people are lonely, their lifestyle choices change. For example, lonely people are more likely to engage in unhealthy behaviors, such as smoking, addictions, poor diet and decreased exercise.   The US Surgeon General, Vivek Murthy, has identified loneliness as a significant public concern, even linking it to premature death.   He has said it is equivalent to smoking 15 cigarettes a day!  

One of the magical things that happens at The Ranch is that community forms. Our guests make meaningful connections that they cultivate into relationships. Many become friends outside the Ranch and meet back at the Ranch yearly.   People come together hoping to grow their resilience and longevity by engaging with others who are seeking the same things. Our guests range from 20-year-olds to 90-year-olds and form a diverse community.  We have created our very own Ranch Zone for longevity. 

 In the words of our co-founder, Deborah, “Loneliness is a disaster. The antidote is having friends and more friends.”  

*Sited studies by the University of Cambridge, the Center for Disease Control (CDC), The American Psychological Association, The National Institute of Aging, and the Surgeon General of the USA.