8.P. Workshop: Addressing social disconnectedness in older adults – the next big thing in Public Health?
Authors:   Organised by: Defactum, Public Health Research (Denmark),   Chair persons: Rikke Lund (Denmark), Mathias Lasgaard (Denmark)
Published: October 2023

Social disconnectedness, which encompasses both loneliness and social isolation, is a significant public health concern worldwide, with growing evidence linking it to increased morbidity and mortality. Among the aging population, social disconnectedness is a pressing issue due to changes in health, such as chronic illness, memory loss, and disability, as well as changes in social connections, such as living alone or the loss of family and friends. Despite the well-known negative consequences of loneliness and social isolation, developing effective and cost-efficient solutions to tackle social disconnectedness among older adults remains challenging. This workshop will provide important insights into social disconnectedness, including reflections and perspectives on intervention effectiveness, evaluation design, and development and implementation of applicable interventions to promote social connections. The workshop format will consist of three presentations, followed by a discussion between the presenters and the audience. The first presentation will be given by Dr. Anne Friis Bo (Defactum - Public Health Research, Denmark) and Dr. Julie Christiansen (Defactum - Public Health Research, Denmark, and University of Southern Denmark) describing a nationwide evaluation of the befriending services. They will discuss opportunities and methodological challenges faced when evaluating large-scale interventions run by social-humanitarian organizations. The second presentation given by Dr. Joanne McHugh Powers (Maynooth University, Ireland) will outline key findings and experiences from a comprehensive mixed-methods evaluation of the ALONE Support and Befriending Service focusing on the effects of befriending on health-related quality of life among older adults. Lastly, Dr. Anu Jansson (University of Helsinki, Finland) will describe the dissemination and implementation of the intervention ‘Circle of Friends’. The workshop will be chaired by Prof. Rikke Lund from the University of Copenhagen, Denmark, and Dr. Mathias Lasgaard from Defactum - Public Health Research, Denmark. Prof. Lund will provide an introductory overview of current knowledge of interventions for social disconnectedness among older adults. Additionally, Dr. Lasgaard will summarize key insights, identify future directions for research, and offer brief recommendations for practice. Overall, this workshop provides a significant opportunity to gain insights into the challenges and successes of interventions aimed at addressing social disconnectedness among older adults.

Key messages

• Social disconnectedness is a significant threat to the health and well-being of older adults and is a pressing public health concern globally. Thus, effective and affordable solutions are needed.

• Showcasing insights from three research projects on interventions addressing social disconnectedness among older adults, this workshop will highlight implications for future research and practice.