Can walking groups help with social isolation: a qualitative study

Khan, Anas

doi:10.1080/14739879.2020.1772120

Cited by 4 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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“… 69 Age-related factors such as physical and mental health limitations affected participant engagement in five interventions. 57 61 65 77 79 …”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Strategies used to identify loneliness and social isolation among older adults in primary care services Only seven articles (22%) reported strategies to identify loneliness or social isolation in older adults during the recruitment phases of the interventions. [55][56][57][58][59][60][61] The strategies comprised the administration of questionnaires to potential participants with a single screening loneliness Open access item (n=4), asking individuals 'do you feel lonely?' during clinical encounters with primary care professionals (n=1), administering a loneliness scale (n=1), and searching for lonely and socially isolated patients in medical records using keywords (n=1).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Family physicians,26 34 55 57 60 65 66 primary care nurses,36 55 59 60 67 68 and social workers,55 69 identified lonely and socially isolated adults in the recruiting phases of the interventions. The nonspecific term ‘primary care teams’ was used in two studies 32 61 63 70–72.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the study by Bleijenberg et al primary care nurses conducted holistic geriatric assessments at home and referred lonely or isolated older adults to specialist services to address underlying medical factors (ie, hearing loss, lack of mobility) 34. Five studies reported no-network interventions, where primary care professionals identified lonely, isolated older adults and delivered the intervention in the same setting 26 57 59 63 69 77…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Similarly, one study reported worse feedback from participants when primary care professionals lacked a proper understanding of the referral pathways 36. In three studies, socially isolated and lonely older adults expressed reluctance to engage in group activities based on discomfort when joining a group while not knowing anyone 36 57 69. Participating in large groups without facilitating staff hindered socialisation and deterred attendance 69.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Primary care-based interventions addressing social isolation and loneliness in older people: a scoping review

2022

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ObjectivesPrimary care is well positioned to identify and address loneliness and social isolation in older adults, given its gatekeeper function in many healthcare systems. We aimed to identify and characterise loneliness and social isolation interventions and detect factors influencing implementation in primary care.DesignScoping review using the five-step Arksey and O’Malley Framework.Data sourcesMEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE, COCHRANE databases and grey literature were searched from inception to June 2021.Eligibility criteriaEmpirical studies in English and Spanish focusing on interventions addressing social isolation and loneliness in older adults involving primary care services or professionals.Data extraction and synthesisWe extracted data on loneliness and social isolation identification strategies and the professionals involved, networks and characteristics of the interventions and barriers to and facilitators of implementation. We conducted a thematic content analysis to integrate the information extracted.Results32 documents were included in the review. Only seven articles (22%) reported primary care professionals screening of older adults’ loneliness or social isolation, mainly through questionnaires. Several interventions showed networks between primary care, health and non-healthcare sectors, with a dominance of referral pathways (n=17). Two-thirds of reports did not provide clear theoretical frameworks, and one-third described lengths under 6 months. Workload, lack of interest and ageing-related barriers affected implementation outcomes. In contrast, well-defined pathways, collaborative designs, long-lasting and accessible interventions acted as facilitators.ConclusionsThere is an apparent lack of consistency in strategies to identify lonely and socially isolated older adults. This might lead to conflicts between intervention content and participant needs. We also identified a predominance of schemes linking primary care and non-healthcare sectors. However, although professionals and participants reported the need for long-lasting interventions to create meaningful social networks, durable interventions were scarce. Sustainability should be a core outcome when implementing loneliness and social isolation interventions in primary care.

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“… 69 Age-related factors such as physical and mental health limitations affected participant engagement in five interventions. 57 61 65 77 79 …”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%