A program that provides meals to seniors in New Hampshire is also helping them combat the biggest risk to their long-term health – loneliness.The Dine Out Program is designed to get people 60 years and older out of their homes to go eat in participating restaurants and socialize.The initiative, funded under the federal Older Americans Act Nutrition Program, state resources and donations, seeks to address an insidious isolation crisis.The U.S. surgeon general warned in May that widespread loneliness in the U.S. poses health risks as deadly as smoking up to 15 cigarettes daily.Research shows that Americans, who have become less engaged with worship houses, community organizations and even their own family members in recent decades, have steadily reported an increase in feelings of loneliness.But the crisis deeply worsened when COVID-19 spread.In declaring the latest public health epidemic, the surgeon general says loneliness increases the risk of premature death by nearly 30%.The research shows that those with poor social relationships also had a greater risk of stroke and heart disease.Isolation also elevates a person’s likelihood for experiencing depression, anxiety and dementia.And those risks factors are particularly dangerous for seniors.Debbie LaBarre, a retired plumbing and heating business office manager, agrees.She says regular restaurant meals with an expanding circle of friends helped her overcome the loneliness she endured after moving to a senior housing apartment in the New Hampshire town of Goffstown.In New Hampshire, the Dine Out Program is run by Meals on Wheels of Hillsborough County whose experts work with restaurants to design menus that meet dietary guidelines for seniors.LaBarre is happy with the results, saying the tasty restaurant meals helped her shave off some weight ahead of recent surgery.Seniors are changing.They may still be working, taking care of grandchildren, and fitting in medical appointments, unable to show up at a set time for lunch or dinner.And after years of cooking for others, it’s nice to be able to sit at the restaurant and order a meal.According to information compiled by Meals on Wheels America, one in four Americans is at least 60 years old, with 12,000 more turning 60 every day.Those on fixed incomes also are living longer with less money; one in two seniors living alone lacks the income to pay for basic needs.Jon Eriquezzo is the president of Meals on Wheels of New Hampshire’s Hillsborough County.He says several restaurants are already participating in the program, helping the local economy.Cyndee Williams is one of them.The owner of White Birch Eatery says the Dine Out Program helped generate extra business for her establishment that opened during the upheavals of the COVID-19 pandemic.Williams says although profit margins from meals served under the program are smaller, she is happy to see seniors regularly come in for meals, check in on each other and bring new friends.Williams was speaking after serving LaBarre and her group, and as the client was signing on a new member to the nutrition program as word of mouth entice other seniors to join.Seniors have to register for the programs, which have no income limits.They're allowed to use up a set number of meals for a given period.Many programs started out with paper vouchers, but they've since switched to debit-type cards with QR codes.Patrons are encouraged to contribute a few dollars per meal, but they aren’t required to.Restaurants are reimbursed by the program organizer.Programs are challenged to keep the dollars coming in as more people express an interest.