"I was hollow..." That's how Ann describes the loneliness she felt when her brother moved away for a new job. In this episode, Ann and some of the rest of the Shervheim family share how they deal with loneliness, decades after parents Karen and Lee took the step of adopting two siblings with Down syndrome in a bid to ensure the three girls would have companionship as they grew into older adulthood.

Lonely? You're not alone. Loneliness has plenty of company these days, and it hits people with and without disabilities in alarming numbers. Just having a disability, particularly an intellectual and/or developmental disability, is a critical risk factor. In this episode, issue editors share the highlights from the Impact issue on loneliness. Consider the latest research, hear about promising programs tackling loneliness and social isolation, and learn what loneliness feels like from a variety of voices in the disability community.

Researcher and activist Simon Duffy talks with Janet Stewart, Impact managing editor, about self-direction efforts around the world. Duffy's current work around citizenship takes self-direction further, imagining new ways for communities to provide resources and natural supports for a wide variety of needs, including and beyond disability.