'Friendship bench' combats loneliness, forges connection

    TEMPE, Arizona (KNXV) -- Loneliness is a growing concern with nearly half of U.S. adults reporting measurable levels, according to the Department of Health and Human Services. But at Arizona State University, one simple idea is bringing people together: the Friendship Bench.

Every Tuesday, ASU alumna Pencie Culiver sits on the bench with a sign that says, “I’m all ears.”

Whether it’s a quick two-minute chat or a deep half-hour conversation, Culiver offers a safe space for students to share what’s on their minds. It’s meant to encourage younger and older folks to just sit and talk to each other — about anything.

The ASU Friendship Bench program started in the fall semester with about a dozen residents of Mirabella, who attended training before deploying to spots on campus.

The program is led by Aaron Guest, a gerontologist and an inaugural assistant professor of aging at the Center for Innovation in Healthy and Resilient Aging at the Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation.