Older adults often complain about the loss of the good old days when neighbors were friends instead of strangers, and everyone in the neighborhood left their doors unlocked. While home security is one thing, interesting new research out of Rutgers University has found that feeling connected to one’s neighbors appears to promote better health outcomes.

About 27 percent of people aged 60 or older live alone in the USA, according to the Pew Research Center. Living alone has been linked to a number of unfavourable health outcomes such as heart disease, depression, and poor overall biological health. So, researchers believed it important to identify which factors may or may not help reduce the negative effects of living   alone.

The project focused on neighborhood cohesion (凝聚力) among Chinese Americans living within the greater Chicago area. Study authors investigated if perceptions of trust and connection among neighbors had an impact on the death risk among that population. Subjects living alone, and reporting minimal interactions or connections with their neighbors, had a 48.5 percent increased risk of death in comparison to those living with other people Meanwhile, people who lived alone and reported strong cohesion with their neighborhood displayed death risks very similar to those living with others.

Establishing a clearer understanding of how different types of neighborhoods may influence locals’ health outcomes can help in the creation of new social policies and public health initiatives aimed at promoting better, more inclusive neighborhood environments.

“Our findings show the particular challenges faced by older adults who live alone in communities with little interaction,” concludes Yanping Jiang, author of the study. Enhancing neighborhood cohesion may be a promising way to reduce early death for older adults.

Future studies should focus on additional contributors involved in neighborhoods, and how they may or may not influence the health of older adults. On an individual level, we can all do our part. Consider being just a little friendlier to your neighbors, especially those who live alone.

People give gifts in almost all societies. Gifts mark anniversaries, religious festivals and other important occasions. Sometimes there are even special ceremonies for gift giving. Some gifts are expensive, or they may take months to create.【小题1】 What do these different kinds of gifts and gift-giving occasions have in common?

【小题2】 If you receive a birthday gift from someone, that person usually expects a birthday gift from you in return. A gift establishes or confirms a social obligation (责任). In some cultures, there are complex rules about gift exchange. In Pakistan, for example, there is a rule for giving gifts on special occasions, such as a wedding.【小题3】 It works this way; You give the wedding couple a gift, and they “repay” you with a gift of slightly higher value. Then you give the couple another gift. This one should be worth the difference between the first two gifts, plus a little more. The gift exchange continues, following the same pattern.

Sometimes gift giving is a form of tribute (贡品).【小题4】 In many ancient cultures, people made offerings to their leaders to show their loyalty. The Nubians in ancient Egypt are a good example. They brought gold to the Egyptian pharaohs, or kings.

Today ambassadors, presidents, and prime ministers usually bring gifts when they visit a foreign leader. This tradition is different from the tribute system. Leaders bring gifts to strengthen relationships between countries, not to emphasize the power of the gift receiver.

Gifts can also send special messages. For example, gifts can tell people that we are thinking of them and that we want them to feel special.【小题5】 The gift keeps the memory of a special person and a special relationship alive.