Have you ever been lonely?

In Metro Vancouver, home to 2.4 million residents, one in four people, many of them seniors, feel isolated.

It’s a shiny city defined by fitness aficionados, a dynamic arts and culture scene, wilderness playgrounds, and crowded corridors. On any given day, everywhere in Vancouver, packs of people are out and about, going places and doing stuff.

Busy and bustling? Sure. But lonely?

For 68-year-old Angie, her circumstances took a sharp turn about seven years ago, when her husband died suddenly.

"Never would I have thought life might turn out this way," she says. "It was like everything came to an abrupt stop."

After her spouse's death, Angie suffered a series of heart attacks, and soon found herself struggling with declining health on a low income.

"It's very isolating. You need help making decisions and there's nobody there."

Older adults are particularly vulnerable, and the consequences can be life-threatening. There is a large body of research that links social isolation with poor health. Lonely people suffer more depression, heart disease, sleeping problems, high blood pressure, and even an increased risk of dementia.

As people age, their likelihood of loneliness can increase due to many factors. According to a federal report on the social isolation of seniors, that can include living alone; having chronic mental or physical health problems; having no children or contact with family; lacking access to transportation; and living with low income.

Currently, 25 percent of seniors in Metro Vancouver live alone, and loneliness affects at least 10 percent of them. By 2031, one-quarter of British Columbians will be over the age 65.

There is a solution to social isolation: regular human connection with people who care.

This task of reaching out to others is being tackled by nonprofit organizations, and the United Way of the Lower Mainland is rising to the occasion. The nonprofit group has a long history of assisting seniors, from funding policy and planning initiatives across the region, to offering hands-on help to those in need. Each year, the United Way helps approximately 58,000 seniors stay active and get connected.

Here's how you can help seniors continue to live independently in their own homes and remain connected to their communities:

• Do things with them 

Simple interactions like sharing a meal or a cup of coffee can mean the world to an isolated older adult. Offer to drive them to pick up small items or to the doctor, or if you're pressed for time, check in by phone or text a few times a week. Drop off some reading material, or even better, watch a movie together.

• Leverage your skills

Are you handy with a drill or saw? Can you sew, paint or prune shrubs? Many household skills most people take for granted are out of reach for seniors who may have lost a spouse or are physically unable to tackle them anymore. Can you cook a mean lasagna? Make extra, freeze portions and bring them over to an older friend.

• Be a good neighbour

Get to know the people who live around you, particularly seniors, and make it a point of ensuring they're okay. This is important during the summer months, when families are often away, and the winter, when bad weather can drive people indoors and further into isolation.

Those wanting to assist can also get involved with the United Way. This year, the United Way is funding many programs aimed at helping older adults and seniors stay in their homes longer, including a party bus in Maple Ridge, an intercultural seniors program in Surrey, and a greenhouse social club in Richmond. The United Way also manages the provincially funded program Better at Home that operates 67 programs across the province.

On United Way Day earlier this month, volunteers from across Metro Vancouver helped kick off United Way’s 2017 funding campaign to support these programs and others. One hundred percent of donations stay local, in the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley.

In all, the United Way works with nearly 200 agencies overseeing more than 350 programs. You can find out how to get involved at United Way Lower Mainland, and start making a difference for seniors in your community.