Places of worship offer people antidote to loneliness

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This article was published 31/01/2026 (276 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Are You Dead?

That’s the name of the most popular paid app in China, according to the BBC.

The app is designed for the estimated 200 million or so people in that country who live alone, and who don’t have family or others to check on them regularly.

By clicking a button on the app every day, users confirm they are alive. If they don’t click it, the app will get in touch with an appointed emergency contact and tell them to check to see if the person is in need of assistance.

The makers of the app describe it as a “safety company companion … whether you’re a solo office worker, a student living away from home, or anyone choosing a solitary lifestyle.”

Said a user: “There is a fear that people living alone might die unnoticed, with no one to call for help. I sometimes wonder, if I died alone, who would collect my body?”

The app is only available in China. But I wonder if it might not also be useful in Canada.

According to Statistics Canada, in 2021 over four million Canadians lived alone. In 2022, the Vanier Institute for the Family reported that Canada has more solo agers than almost any other country, with roughly one in 10 older adults having no spouse or biological child.

According to research, the antidote to loneliness is social connections — and we already have an “app” for that. It’s called being part of a place of worship.

According to a study by the Gerontological Society of America in 2012, religious attendance is associated with higher levels of social integration and social support for seniors, and lower levels of loneliness.

Said the society: “Our results suggest that involvement in religious institutions may protect against loneliness in later life by integrating older adults into larger and more supportive social networks.”

It should be noted that places of worship are not automatically a solution for those feeling lonely, especially seniors. As Jane Kuepfer, director of the Schlegel Institute in Spirituality & Aging at Conrad Grebel University College in Waterloo, pointed out, many congregations put most of their focus and energy into attracting and serving young people and families — to the detriment of older members.

This is a great loss, she said. “We need to encourage churches to pay more attention to people in the third act of life,” she said.

I reached out to some local religious leaders for their thoughts on how their groups combat loneliness.

“In our tradition, the Prophet Muhammad and his companions would survey the congregational prayer on Fridays to see who was absent, and inquire about them. Neighbours are also expected to check on their neighbours, especially the elderly,” said Shahina Siddiqui of the Islamic Social Services Association.

An app like “Are you Dead” can help, but it doesn’t “substitute family, social, and neighbour care. These values need to be revived so nobody dies alone,” she added.

The Hindu Society of Manitoba tries to help people stay connected through Temple activities like the Sharing Circle of Wellness at the Dr. Raj Pandey Hindu Centre.

People can come to the Centre for yoga, meditation sessions, presentations and go on field trips to improve their lives and interact with others, said Manju Lodha, who cofounded the Circle.

“Our temple is open seven days a week. There is a priest and the caretaker there. When we go, there is always someone to talk to,” she said.

Michael Wilson is minister at Charleswood United Church. He noted that while religions teach different things, one common denominator is a focus on community.

“Here is a place you can go where you will be greeted warmly, welcomed graciously, where people will sing with you, pray with you, weep with you, even drink coffee with you,” he said. “And all in the context of understanding we are part of something greater than ourselves.”

At the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, members make a covenant together to “bear one another’s burdens, mourn with those that mourn and strengthen those that stand in need of comfort,” said Christine Baronins.

Congregations have a responsibility to watch over and care for individuals in need, she said, adding leaders are told about needs and concerns to ensure people are not left alone.

From an Islamic perspective, “community is not optional in our way of life, it is built into our worship,” said Tasneem Vali of the Manitoba Islamic Association.

“We pray five times a day, ideally in congregation. We are encouraged to share meals, to visit the sick, to show up for each other. In a healthy community, people notice when someone hasn’t been around, when someone is missing from prayers or gatherings.”

The Association offers programs for seniors, “giving them a chance to come out, share a meal, and do activities together.” They also have online learning circles, and community members also visit shut-ins — although, she acknowledged, “this doesn’t happen as often as it should.”

In the end, Vali said, “this isn’t really about an app. It’s about whether we are still willing to be present in each other’s lives.”

faith@freepress.mb.ca

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