- Summary
- Agenda
- Speakers
- Resources
On December 2, 2020, ProMedica and AARP Foundation hosted a virtual summit to discuss strategies for addressing social isolation during a pandemic, and share promising practices from organizations in the community and across sectors.
Below are recordings of the summit along with key takeaways captured during the event. Go to the resources tab for links to shared resources from both the speakers and attendees.
Part 1
Part 2
Key Takeaways & Next Steps
- We must build stronger, strategic cross-sector partnerships with a commitment to collective impact.
- On the policy front, we need to move beyond the conversation phase and reach for real, measurable actions to improve the lives of seniors nationwide.. This includes:
- Developing policies as a group (bipartisan and sound solutions)
- Working strategically as a group to find paths for implementation of those policies, and
- Pushing the solutions forward together
- In the health sector, there were two key recommendations from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine’s consensus study on social isolation among older adults, supported by AARP Foundation. This includes:
- Developing a more robust evidence base;
- Strengthening the ties between the health care system and the community-based networks and resources – it’s through these partnerships that we can develop that evidence base.
- AARP Foundation, among many other organizations, is working with the Administration for Community Living to develop a public-private coalition to address social isolation with a coordinating center to organize efforts across sectors and organizations. This includes support for a National Network of Local Champions to help build collective impact.
- To stay connected with us on this effort, join the listserv here.
Takeaways from the Opening Session:
- Helping older adults build and retain strong social connections to their families, friends and communities supports healthy aging, financial health and stronger communities.
- The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine consensus study sponsored by AARP Foundation found that roughly a quarter of those age 65 and older are socially isolated.
- It also reconfirmed that social isolation is linked to a greater likelihood of heart disease, dementia, stroke depression and a greater likelihood of early death from all causes.
- In August 2020, AARP Foundation released the results of a pulse survey with UnitedHealth Foundation that found two-thirds of all adults say they are suffering from social isolation since the pandemic.
- 41% report feeling more anxious than usual;
- more than one-third of all adults have felt depressed.
- Older, low-income adults are especially at risk. Social isolation is inextricably connected to poverty and other social determinants of health.
- We must address the needs of a whole person, not just within the four walls of a health facility.
- ProMedica launched in October 2020 an acute care at home program for Medicare beneficiaries. ProMedica will meet with community partners in the home of individuals to not only provide health care, but wraparound community services.
- Trends since our 2019 Healthy Aging summit:
- There has been an increase in on-demand telehealth visits;
- Remote monitoring in homes;
- New innovative approaches such as acute care at home.
- What could be on the horizon in 2021:
- Skilled nursing in the home, such as oncology care;
- Creating personalized experiences for every age;
- Identifying not only social determinants of health, but also personal determinants of health.
Takeaways from the Tech Solutions Panel:
- Technology should be a facilitator in human connection.
- Access to technology is a critical barrier that we need to address in order to adopt technology solutions.
- Video conferencing can provide a meaningful connection between individuals and their families, communities and health care providers.
- It can be especially helpful to have dedicated devices for isolation units to help balance the need for infection control while providing those in isolation with a way to engage socially.
- HIPPA Compliance (end to end encryption) for telehealth visits has been relaxed around the pandemic, but it will likely tighten in the future. So, it is encouraged to look for technology services that include HIPPA compliance and end to end encryption.
- We’re in a golden age of data convergence and machine learning is becoming more integrated in our lives.
- Questions around ethics need to be part of the initial design phase before deploying novel interventions such as the AARP Foundation Connect2Affect Chatbot, because “[these novel interventions/tech tools] will either be a front door to a person in need that will remain wide open, or it will be permanently closed because an individual might never walk through that door again,” said Sharath Mekala, Social Entrepreneur in Residence and Program Manager, AARP Foundation.
Takeaways from the Community Solutions Panel:
- Talking to those on the ground and in the community is crucial for understanding the need.
- During the pandemic, ProMedica asked what the need was first and then worked with partners and resources in the community to fill the need, including: hygiene and self-care products.
- They also supported a gardening show for residents of their senior high-rises with gardening plots, and collaborated with the arts museum to deliver art kits.
- For the Administration for Community Living (ACL), home delivered meals was a priority as the pandemic hit, but the personal contact through these meal deliveries needed to be modified often with curbside delivery.
- There was a need to better support transitions from hospital to home and nursing facilities to home.
- As organizations and communities were responding to a crisis situation, it was important to take action on the acute needs in the community and not overburden states with new reporting requirement. But gathering the insights, data and best practices through existing reporting systems can help us replicate some of the most successful solutions in communities.
- A broad public-private initiative to address social isolation is underway. This will help create a cohesive way to come together and learn from each other (Funded by ACL, AARP Foundation is a critical partner).
- One part of that initiative is identifying champions at a community level who can share their best practices, The National Network of Community Champions. More to come on this effort in 2021.
- It’s important to be intentional on creating meaningful volunteer programs that address the needs of not only the program but the volunteers engaging in the program – utilizing their skills and services, acknowledging their frustrations with new developments and continuing to reengage them for feedback.
Takeaways from Life On Purpose with Victor J. Stretcher:
- Purpose in life is the degree to which people are directed and motivated by valued goals.
- Purpose in life has a biological response: reduced inflammation, increased antibody response, and increased telomerase.
- Purpose in life has a physical response: reduced Alzheimer’s/dementia risk, improved physical function, reduced cardiovascular risk, reduced stroke risk, reduced mortality risk.
- Purpose in life has a behavioral response: Increased preventive health care use, improved physical activity/diet, improved sleep, reduced drug misuse.
- Purpose in life has a neural response: Increased ventromedial prefrontal cortex (self), reduced amygdala (fear, aggression), reduced dorsal anterior cingulate (conflict).
- Purpose in life affects wellbeing: reduced depression, increased emotional regulation.
- A new app, Purposeful, with UnitedHealthcare, AARP and Kumanu helps break down steps for improving purpose in life for older adults.
- The question we can all ask is, will we be a good ancestor?
Healthy Aging Summit Resources
Event Resources
Connect2Affect provides resources to help individuals assess their risk for social isolation, and find support services in their area. Helpful resources include:
- Social Isolation Risk Assessment – a questionnaire to help individuals determine how connected they are, and which resources would benefit them most.
- Connect2Affect Chatbot – designed to provide friendly conversation with the goal of helping rebuild social connections. Chatbot conversations are secure, private and accessible 24/7.
- Social Check-In – an assessment you can take using just your voice. You’ll learn whether you (or someone you care about) may be at risk of social isolation and receive practical tips to feel more connected. To get started, just ask Alexa or Google to “Launch Social Check-In.”
Additional Resources Shared from by Attendees
We were so encouraged by the engagement in the chat from all those who attended. Your fellow attendees shared their experiences and thoughts along with helpful resources to follow-up on. Here are the resources we captured during the event:
- From Majd Alwan with LeadingAge, CAST: CAST’s Cybersecurity resources, which includes a self-benchmarking tool: https://leadingage.org/cybersecurity-resources
- From Ellen Amstutz, Tech Made Easy for Seniors with New Instructional Guides: https://www.dorotusa.org/tech-made-easy-seniors-new-instructional-guides
- From Kara Cohen with AARP MA: Social Isolation Taskforce working with UMass Boston Gerontology Institute: www.aarp.org/reachoutma
- From Ryan Elza with AARP Foundation: You can find great resources related to virtual volunteering and ways to give back https://connect2affect.org/good-neighbor-day/
- From Ryan Elza with AARP Foundation: https://playbook.leadingage.org/articles/chapter-6-role-of-technology/#connectedness
- From Meredith Hanley, n4a: Here’s a resource from the Alzheimer’s Association: https://www.alz.org/professionals/professional-providers/coronavirus-covid-19-tips-for-dementia-caregivers
- From Louise Hawkley: Consider joining the Coalition to End Social Isolation and Loneliness, https://www.endsocialisolation.org/
- From Scott Kaiser at the Motion Picture Television Fund: MPTF’s CallHub www.joincallhub.com
- LeadingAge Pandemic Playbook: https://playbook.leadingage.org/
- From Wendy with Arlington Neighborhood Village: “Villages,” non-profit, community based, volunteer organizations across the nation that provide the “Extra Help” older adults need as the challenges of aging make it more difficult to drive, change a lightbulb, go to the grocery store, etc.: To see if there is a village in your area, go to www.vtvnetwork.org
- From Jessica Winn with AARP Foundation: AARP Foundation’s Virtual Volunteer Guide: https://connect2affect.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/AARP-Foundation-Best-Practices-Guide-for-Virtual-Volunteers-1.pdf
