An official website of the United States government          

Here’s how you know

**Official websites use .gov**A              **.gov** website belongs to an official government              organization in the United States.            

**Secure .gov websites use HTTPS**A              **lock** (              LockLocked padlock icon) or **https://** means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.            

Skip to contentSkip to navigation

- About   - About Us
  - Programs in the News
- Browse Resources +   - Business Management     - Business Skills
    - Contracting
    - Cost Containment
    - Finances
    - Health Care
    - Marketing
    - Partnerships
    - Policies & Procedures
    - Prioritizing Clients
    - Staffing & Training
    - Volunteers
  - Congregate Meals     - Basics of Congregate
    - Creativity & Innovation
    - Food Safety
    - Menus & Recipes
    - Volunteers
  - Emergencies & Disasters     - Food Supply
    - Infectious Diseases
    - Natural Disasters
    - Plan & Prepare
    - Respond & Recover
  - Finding Food & Assistance     - Food Assistance
    - Food Banks
    - Groceries
    - Markets & Gardens
  - Food Insecurity & Malnutrition     - Food Insecurity
    - Malnutrition
  - Health & Well-being     - Diabetes
    - Falls Prevention
    - Health Promotion
    - Social Determinants
  - Home-delivered Meals     - Basics of Home Delivered Meals
    - Creativity & Innovation
    - Food Safety
    - Menu & Recipes
    - Volunteers
  - Nutrition Counseling
  - Nutrition Education     - Consumer Food Safety 
    - Eating on a Budget
    - Healthy Eating Plans
    - Menu & Recipes
    - Nutrition Facts Labels
    - Other Languages
    - Ready-to-use Education
    - Resources & Strategies
    - Vitamins & Supplements
  - Nutrition Guidelines
  - Social Isolation & Connection     - Basics & Materials
    - Caregivers
  - Underserved Communities     - Cultural Competency
    - Rural Communities
    - Targeting Strategies
- OAA & Requirements +   - Data & Reports
  - Grantee Reporting
  - Nutrition Guidelines
  - Nutrition Services Incentive Program
  - OAA Nutrition Services Basics
  - Program Evaluation
  - Voluntary Contributions
- Nutrition Innovations +   - Grantee Spotlight
  - Looking to Innovate
  - Managing an INNU Grant
- ican!

# Social Isolation Basics & Materials

Nutrition programs are tasked not only with providing access to nutritious food, but with strengthening connections and reducing social isolation for the older adults they serve. Older adults are at increased risk for loneliness and social isolation because of factors like living alone, loss of family or friends, or chronic illness. Discover methods to increase social connection and decrease isolation amongst older adults.

##  Briefs

                    - Mental Health and Aging in America — CDC issue briefs                       - Addressing Depression in Older Adults
                      - What Do the Data Tell Us? 
                    - Addressing Social Isolation, Loneliness, and Elevated Suicidality Among Older Adults  During COVID-19 and Beyond  — Brief on a partially nested randomized control trial  of the BE WITH Innovation

##  Infographics

                    - The Benefits of Eating With Others  — Graphic on the positive impact of congregate meals

## Quick Guides

                    - Assessing for Suicide in Community-Based Research  — Tips from the HOPE Lab at  Georgia State University and the AgeWell Lab at Virginia Tech
                    - Project HELLO  — Multiphase effort to engage older adults in Rhode Island by utilizing volunteers
                    - Easing Social Isolation  — Tips from New Jersey Division of Aging Services
                    - Guided Imagery Relaxation  — Activity guide
                    - Options for Remote Connection  — Strategies to promote socialization of older adults
                    - Loneliness and Social Isolation Linked to Serious Health Conditions — CDC information on health risks and links to community resources
                    - Social Isolation Resource Guide  — List of resources to combat social isolation and loneliness, compiled by Dane County AAA

## Guides

                    - Health, Well-Being, and/or Social Connections in a Remote Environment  — Highlighting programs demonstrating best practices in the areas of socialization and well checks
                    - Addressing Social Isolation in Older Adults During COVID-19 — Resource from ADvancing States
                    - Depression: Not a Normal Part of Growing Older — Information and links to resources from the CDC
                    - Older Adults and Mental Health — Warning signs of mental health disorders and additional resources from NIH

## Fact Sheets

                    - Social Wellness Tip Sheet  — Tips for assessing whether participants are building and engaging in trusting, respectful, and authentic relationships
                    - Meaningful Connection and Better Health through Congregate Meals  — How ACL’s Senior Nutrition Program combats loneliness and social isolation
                    - Managing Loneliness — NIHCM infographic
                    - Social Connections Among Older Adults and People with Disabilities — NCI-AD data spotlight on impact of social isolation
                    - Tools for Reaching a Remote Audience — NCOA comparison of platforms for delivering remote services

##  Tools & Toolkits

                    - Senior Nutrition Program Two-Minute Promotional Video (YouTube) — Video focused on connection and social aspects of senior nutrition programs
                    - Social Wellness Checklists — NIH resources with ideas for creating positive social habits                       - Make Connections
                      - Build Healthy Relationships 
                    - Commit to Connect  — ACL campaign to combat social isolation and loneliness
                    - Connect to Affect Social Isolation Assessment — Tool from AARP Foundation to measure your risk of social isolation                       - Social Check-In 
                    - Social Isolation and Loneliness Outreach Toolkit — Resources from NIA

## Presentations

                    - Beyond the Delivery of the Meal (YouTube) — Network spotlight on Liberty Meals on Wheels of Ocean County
                    - Engaging Home-delivered Meal Participants (YouTube) — Network spotlight on Meals on Wheels of Ocean County, whose participants contribute to and learn from each other via Connections newsletter
                    - Saving Lives...Literally (YouTube) — Research being done at Georgia State University to enhance social connectedness and decrease risk of suicide in older adults
                    - Equipping the Aging Network to Address SILES During COVID-19 and Beyond — Strategies for addressing social isolation, loneliness, and elevated suicide risk (SILES) among older adults using "BE WITH"
                    - Addressing Nutrition & Social Connections Needs of Rural Older Adults (YouTube) — Webinar on nutrition & connection activities at three older adult nutrition programs during the pandemic                       - Addressing Nutrition & Social Connections Needs of Rural Older Adults Slides 
                    - Food for Thought Dialogue (YouTube) — IAFNS webinar on the effects of food and nutrients on mental well-being
                    - Nutrition and Socialization  — The value of socialization at congregate meal sites                       - Nutrition and Socialization Takeaway Sheet
                      - Nutrition and Socialization Tip Sheet 
                    - Socialization (YouTube) — Challenges faced by the network in combatting social isolation                       - Socialization Slides
                      - Socialization Takeaway Sheet
                      - Socialization Tip Sheet 

##  Reports

                    - The Pandemic Effect: A Social Isolation Report — AARP Foundation exploring the impact of the pandemic on adults of all ages and the effects of social isolation
                    - Social Isolation and Loneliness in Older Adults: Opportunities for the Health Care System — Report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine

## Resources

                    - Social Engagement Resources — engAGED's list of external resources for organizations serving older adults
                    - Affordable Connectivity Program — FCC broadband benefit program helping households connect
                    - E4 Center of Excellence for Behavioral Health Disparities in Aging — Center with materials to support behavioral health in older adults and families
                    - Emergency Broadband Benefit — FCC program to help families and households afford broadband internet service
                    - ONEgeneration Takes Intergenerational Approach to Meet Community Needs — NCOA senior center spotlight
                    - Mental Health Resources — NCOA articles and other resources
                    - Meals on Wheels America and PetSmart Charities partnership — Partnership to help older adults and their pets live healthy, nourished lives, together
                    - Pets for the Elderly — Charity that helps older adults adopt companion pets from shelters

*Last modified on 01/16/2024*

**         Back to Top    

## 

ACL funds the Nutrition and Aging Resource Center to build the capacity of senior nutrition programs funded by the Older Americans Act to provide high-quality, person-centered services and enhance program sustainability and resiliency.

## Site Support

-  Accessibility  
-  Disclaimers 
-  Privacy Policy 
-  Site Map 
-  Viewers & Players 

## Helpful Sites

-  Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) 
-  No Fear Act 
-  Vulnerability Disclosure Policy 

* *Subscribe to e-news

* *Find a nutrition site 

* *  Email the Center

* * Facebook

   X

* * YouTube

* * LinkedIn

* * Share

An official website of the Administration for Community Living, an operating division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.