As one of the fasted growing groups in the Palmetto State, the number of adults ages 60+ is projected to reach 1.5 million by 2030 – approximately doubling in size since 2000 and making up 27% of SC's total population.
May 11, 2026 | Erin Bluvas, bluvase@sc.edu
Governor Henry McMaster has issued a proclamation declaring May to be Social Isolation and Loneliness in Older Adults Awareness Month in South Carolina. The decree took place during the first press conference and social awareness event organized by a statewide coalition known as South Carolina’s Operation to Confront Isolation & Loneliness (SOCIAL Aging).
Organized by the Arnold School’s Office for the Study of Aging (OSA), the Hearts United: A Day of Connection event also included remarks from OSA
Co-Director and SOCIAL Aging Convener Megan Byers, SC Department on Aging Director Connie Munn, AARP-SC State Director Charmaine Fuller
Cooper, and Senior Resources Executive Director Andrew Boozer. Health promotion, education, and behavior (HPEB) doctoral student Ally Hucek provided closing remarks for the press conference and led participants into the community
engagement part of the event (e.g., food & refreshments, games & prizes, meaningful
conversations, & community resources).
Research has shown that older adults who experience social isolation and loneliness are more at risk of significant impacts to their overall health, including anxiety, depression, heart disease, premature death, stroke, cognitive decline, and dementia.
SOCIAL Aging has launched a statewide effort to raise awareness on social isolation and loneliness among older adults, are actively working towards improving screening in health care and community settings, and identifying best practices while expanding access to resources. By using proven strategies, innovative tools, and existing data, SOCIAL Aging aims to strengthen programs and support systems that help older adults stay connected and engaged.
Established in 2023, SOCIAL Aging grew out of a collaborative initiative led by the SC Institute of Medicine & Public Health and the SC Department on Aging, which convened a statewide task force to identify approaches to address social isolation among older adults. Their resulting report offered recommendations related to policy, environment (e.g., housing) and programming/services to better support South Carolina’s older adult population.
Operating under a collective impact model, SOCIAL Aging brings together state and community organizations and individuals to raise awareness and eliminate social isolation and loneliness among older adults. With OSA as its backbone, the coalition engages diverse partners to actively address the root causes and adverse effects of social isolation and loneliness for this group.
While a steering committee group provides the coalition’s guiding framework, an array of individuals and groups are committed to the collective effort to end loneliness and isolation among older adults. Those who are interested in getting involved with SOCIAL Aging should contact the OSA by email or phone at OSA@sc.edu or 803-766-1794 .
