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Social isolation and loneliness are prevalent in our communities for all ages including the young and the old, especially after two years of coping with the impacts of COVID-19. Social isolation is felt by many even during “normal” times. The COVID pandemic specifically created a large paradigm shift for older adults and adults with disabilities as it restricted the delivery of customary services and support. Quarantines produced communication challenges, curtailed socialization dramatically and magnified community disconnections. Social isolation emerged as a major critical issue affecting this constituency. Social isolation is more than feeling lonely. It has a negative impact on emotional and physical health to include increases in cognitive impairments, depression, physical debilitation (stroke, cardio) and decreased longevity.
As we now begin move into a different phase, the need for better social connectedness has become more evident. When social connection efforts increase, it mitigates the harmful effects of social isolation and loneliness. Moreover, by building trust, it enhances our social and political discourse and sense of well-being.
Bringing meaningful activities to socially isolated adults is ONLY one aspect of this issue. The components of tackling this problem include the following:
- Identification – What exactly is the problem? Who is the target population? How do you locate them?
- Engagement – How do you involve socially isolated individuals who may have physical and mental concerns that prohibit their inclination to be social?
- Volunteerism – Who can help – individuals and/or service organizations? How do we engage them?
- Causes – What is the root cause that starts the cycle of loneliness and separation? How can that be mitigated?
- Outreach – To what extent is the outreach required to bring in individuals into groups, into contacts, into meaningful engagements?
- Impediments – What is holding us back? What is in our way?
- Gaps – What do we have now in place and where are the gaps in needed support and services?
- Support – How can technology help? What solutions are there that require little or no technology?
Now is the time to step up connecting efforts after the pandemic which has left so many retreating and regressing. I challenge you to take a first step. Let’s create a definition that identifies what exactly the problem is. Then identify who and where the socially isolated persons are who need to be more socially connected. Let me know what you discover and share that with us.
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