At 95 years old, Dr. Ruth, once one of America’s leading sex therapists, has taken on a new role as New York’s first ambassador of solitude.
New York Gov. Cathy Hochul on Thursday announced that Dr. Ruth Westheimer, a syndicated talk show host who counseled Americans about sexuality in the 1980s and 1990s, will now lead the state in tackling isolation. announced that it would lead the This problem has become more prominent after the lockdown. Reduce the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19). She will become the United States’ first lone ambassador, following similar posts in the United Kingdom and Japan, according to the governor’s office.
“As New York state battles the loneliness epidemic, help from Ambassador Emeritus Ruth Westheimer may be just what the doctor ordered,” Hochul said in a statement.
“Hallelujah!” Westheimer said in a statement announcing his new role. She later added: “I am so honored to have promised the Governor that I will work day and night to make New Yorkers feel less alone!”
The governor’s office said in a news release that the ambassador, who holds the prestigious title, will help address the growing problem of social isolation. It is associated with physical and mental health problems such as cognitive decline, anxiety, depression, weakened immunity, Alzheimer’s disease, and premature death.
The governor’s office emphasized the following: 2020 National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Survey They found that a quarter of adults over the age of 65 are considered socially isolated, and a third of adults over the age of 45 experience loneliness. This means that regardless of the amount of social contact they have, they feel lonely, according to the study. Social isolation refers to a lack of social connections.
New York City Health Commissioner Dr. James MacDonald said in a statement that he was encouraged by Hochul’s appointment of Westheimer to the role to “help people cope with these emotions and forge new connections.” Stated.
Westheimer said in 2019 that she wasn’t worried about young people having sex. Instead, she was more concerned with basic human relationships.
“Most of the questions I get today are not just about sex, but about loneliness and not finding someone to share your life and experiences with,” she said in her documentary Ask Dr. Ruth. He spoke at a Hulu panel discussion to promote the show.
Dr. Ruth:Today’s advice is more about loneliness than sex
When Mr. Westheimer turns 94 in June 2022; She told social column Page Six: She said her birthday wish was to help lonely people in New York as an ambassador of solitude, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, which she said had a big impact on her at the time. . Mr. Westheimer became a well-known sex therapist decades ago, appearing on U.S. television and radio. She also served as a professor at Columbia University Teachers College for many years.
Westheimer was born in Germany to Jewish parents who were murdered during the Holocaust. She was part of a kindergarten transport of Jewish children seeking refuge from the Nazi government throughout Europe. She immigrated to British-ruled Palestine, where she served in the Haganah, the predecessor of the Israel Defense Forces. She lives in Upper Manhattan.
