You know Dotsie, doctors do prescribe all kinds of beneficial lifestyle changes and almost no one follows through. It would probably be the same with loneliness.
Also, loneliness seems to be complicated by shame. Being ashamed of being lonely seems to be a problem of society and it seems to keep lonely people from reaching out. Maybe they can't. Maybe someone has to reach out to them and maybe more people would reach out if they understood loneliness better. Knowledge calms fears and can help us cope with difficult situations.
Maybe the first step to easing what appears to be an epidemic of loneliness in this country would be some sort of education project where people would learn about loneliness and become more skillful in helping others.

I have no solutions to loneliness though. Seems like we need more data. We seem to be at the first step of the scientific problem solving process. We're "recognizing a problem."
As we gather more information, a solution may be discovered and we can take the next steps to implementation, evaluation, and re-planing.
I heard a story on Oprah yesterday about a lonely child who committed suicide at the age of twelve. Didn't watch the whole thing, but it terrified me.
There must be a solution.
janis