Video conferencing: An intervention for emotional loneliness in long-term care
Abstract
Residents in long-term care report high rates of emotional loneliness. The following pilot study examined an intervention to address these feelings. A sample of eight residents used videoconferencing (Skype) to communicate with very close family/friends one or more times each week for two months. Wilcoxon matched pairs tests suggested that the intervention was not associated with significant changes in affective well-being. However, desirable changes in various aspects of social support were evident and should be explored in future research that includes a larger sample size. The logistics of implementing this videoconferencing study were extensive and increasing the sample size would necessitate changes in research methods. Most notably, choice of the hardware as well as the availability of assistance to operate the hardware and software are aspects that need to be altered. Specific recommendations are made to facilitate future research and practice.
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Participants in mixed-methods studies reported benefits in interviews or open-ended questions, such as enjoyment of seeing or talking with close family or friends via Skype, enhanced sense of wellbeing, increased sense of belonging, emotional support, and facilitation in offline network building.
“However, participants reported benefits gained through the interventions in interviews or open-ended questions, such as enjoyment of seeing or talking with close family or friends via Skype (Siniscarco et al., 2017), enhanced sense of wellbeing (Barbosa Neves et al., 2019), increased sense of belonging, emotional support, and facilitation in offline network building (Torp et al., 2008).”
From The relationship between social media use and psychosocial outcomes in older adults: A systematic review (2024) · cites this paper as Siniscarco et al., 2017
In Siniscarco et al. (2017), no significant effect of the intervention was found on depression.
“or depression.”
From The relationship between social media use and psychosocial outcomes in older adults: A systematic review (2024) · cites this paper as Siniscarco et al., 2017
Cites
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Video calls for reducing social isolation and loneliness in older people: a rapid review
Noone, C., McSharry, J., Smalle, M., Burns, A., Dwan, K., Devane, D., & Morrissey, E. C. (2020) · Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews · doi:10.1002/14651858.cd013632 · Cited by 226 · see citing works
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- Authors
- Siniscarco, M. T., Love-Williams, C., & Burnett-Wolle, S.
- Affiliations
- Utica College (US)
- Corresponding author
- Siniscarco, Mary T.
- ORCID
- Burnett-Wolle, Sarah
- Venue
- Activities, Adaptation & Aging
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2017-06-15
- Volume
- 41
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 316-329
- ISSN
- 0192-4788 (ISSN-L)
- 1544-4368
- OpenAlex
- W2625505089
- Cited by
- 40
- References
- 5
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 12 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 1
- FWCI
- 4.88
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Activities Adaptation & Aging (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Utica College (NA)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Geriatric Care and Nursing Homes
- Social Sciences › Demography › Technology Use by Older Adults
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Telemedicine and Telehealth Implementation
- Keywords
- videoconferencing, emotional loneliness, long-term care residents, Skype, social support, emotional well-being, family communication
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