Preventing social isolation in later life: findings and insights from a pilot Queensland intervention study

Helen Bartlett · Jeni Warburton · Chi‐Wai Lui · Linda Peach · Matthew T. C. Carroll

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Evaluation and Performance Assessment Aging, Health, and Disability Health disparities and outcomes

Abstract

ABSTRACT The isolation of older people is recognised as a major social problem in contemporary Western society. While the risk factors and social or health outcomes of isolation and loneliness in later life are well documented, evidence regarding the effectiveness of programmes aimed at reducing social isolation in older people remains inconclusive. This paper reports on the challenges of attempting to undertake a rigorous evaluation of three demonstration pilot projects targeting older people at risk of social isolation, conducted within different social settings in Queensland, Australia. The demonstration projects were part of the Queensland Cross-Government Project to Reduce Social Isolation in Older People (CGPRSIOP) led by the Office for Seniors within the Queensland Department of Communities. In the absence of good evaluation of programmes aimed at social isolation, this government-run programme incorporated validated psychological measures to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions. While use of these measures suggested some promising results, the focus of this paper is on the methodological and practical challenges associated with utilising evaluation measures in community-based interventions. The detailed consideration of the methodological issues involved in this programme highlights some key lessons and offers new insights into evaluating interventions for reducing social isolation.

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References

2003Common method biases in behavioral research: A critical review of the literature and recommended remedies.2001Social Ties and Mental Health 1985The Development of a Rasch-Type Loneliness Scale 2002Loneliness and Health: Potential Mechanisms 2005Preventing social isolation and loneliness among older people: a systematic review of health promotion interventions 2011Interventions targeting social isolation in older people: a systematic review 2005The prevalence of, and risk factors for, loneliness in later life: a survey of older people in Great Britain 2007Promoting older adults’ well-being through Internet training and use

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2014SOCIAL ISOLATION: Its impact on the mental health and wellbeing of older Victorians 2022The feasibility and acceptability of digital technology for health and wellbeing in social housing residents in Cornwall: A qualitative scoping study 2023Einsamkeit im mittleren und höheren Alter angehen: Soziale Fähigkeiten und Verbundenheit erhöhen 2023Changing Meaning of Old Age Throughout History: From the Respectable “Ancestor” Figure to the Perception of a “Burden on the Back,” Ageism in Late Modern Societies

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