Local efforts promote aging-friendly communities and social connection
Wisconsin Public Radio | February 12, 2026
Megan Zuelsdorff, PhD, was recently featured in an article from Wisconsin Public Radio about attempts to promote healthy aging in Wisconsin. Dr. Zuelsdorff is an assistant professor at the UW-Madison School of Nursing and co-lead of the Community Partnerships Core at the Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center.
Dr. Zuelsdorff said that social connection is important to quality of life. It also plays a big role in mental and physical health as we age. “For one thing, it’s actually easier to live healthy, to engage in healthy behaviors, if we have a companion along with us,” she said. “We know that we eat more poorly when we’re by ourselves. We drink more alcohol. We stay inside more. It’s just easier to engage when you’re doing things for other people, too.”