Interventions to reduce social isolation amongst older people: where is the evidence?
Abstract
As the population ages and more people are living alone, social isolation amongst older people is emerging as one of the major issues facing the industrialised world because of the adverse impact it can have on health and wellbeing. This article reviews the empirical literature published over the last 20 years on the effectiveness of interventions that target social isolation amongst older people. The results reveal that although numerous such interventions have been implemented worldwide, there is very little evidence to show that they work. It is concluded that future intervention programmes aimed at reducing social isolation should have evaluation built into them at inception, and that the results of the evaluation studies, whether positive or negative, should be widely disseminated. Where possible, as a cost-effective measure, pilot or demonstration projects should precede these interventions. Some key elements of successful interventions to counter social isolation amongst older people are presented.
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A functional magnetic resonance imaging study found that lonely individuals showed less activation in the ventral striatum in response to positive social stimuli compared with nonlonely individuals.
“a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study found that lonely individuals showed less activation in the ventral striatum in response to positive social stimuli compared with nonlonely individuals [31].”
From Loneliness and health in older adults: a mini-review and synthesis (2016) · cites this paper as [31]
Three previous systematic reviews have synthesised evidence on the effectiveness of interventions targeting social isolation in older people.
“Three previous systematic reviews [5,40,41] have synthesised the evidence of the effectiveness of interventions targeting social isolation in older people.”
From Interventions targeting social isolation in older people: a systematic review (2011) · cites this paper as [40]
While interventions targeting social isolation include some of the beneficial characteristics identified in this and previous systematic reviews, none appear to include all of them.
“While interventions targeting social isolation include some of the beneficial characteristics identified in this and previous systematic reviews [5,40], none appear to include all of them.”
From Interventions targeting social isolation in older people: a systematic review (2011) · cites this paper as [40]
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- Authors
- FINDLAY, R. A.
- Affiliations
- The University of Queensland (AU)
- Corresponding author
- FINDLAY, ROBYN A.
- Venue
- Ageing and Society
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press (CUP)
- Published
- 2003-09
- Volume
- 23
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 647-658
- ISSN
- 0144-686X (ISSN-L)
- 1469-1779
- OpenAlex
- W2117614628
- Cited by
- 479
- References
- 30
- Citations by year
- 2026: 13 · 2025: 14 · 2024: 26 · 2023: 23 · 2022: 18 · 2021: 36 · 2020: 40 · 2019: 36 · 2018: 25 · 2017: 38 · 2016: 26 · 2015: 28 · 2014: 17 · 2013: 30 · 2012: 19
- FWCI
- 5.55
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Ageing and Society (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Aging, Health, and Disability
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Aging, Elder Care, and Social Issues
- Social Sciences › Health › Health disparities and outcomes
- Keywords
- social isolation, older adults, intervention, population aging, living alone, intervention effectiveness, program evaluation, pilot project, health and well-being, evidence-based policy
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