Background

During the COVID-19 pandemic, millions of older people across the UK (aged 70 and over) were instructed to be particularly strict about the social distancing measures and told to self-isolate. These social distancing measures placed older people at greater risk than normal of social isolation and loneliness. Our research explored various remote interventions to see what is effective at combatting loneliness in older adults. Our team set out to review the evidence on interventions that seek to ameliorate loneliness or social isolation, or both, through remote interventions.

Aims and objectives

Against a backdrop of mandatory social distancing, we wanted to understand how remote interventions may be effectively delivered.

Resources and further information

• Full report: Rapid review of reviews: what remotely delivered interventions can reduce social isolation and loneliness among older adults? (PDF).
• Executive summary: Rapid review of reviews: what remotely delivered interventions can reduce social isolation and loneliness among older adults? (PDF).
• Blog: Only a call away: Reducing loneliness and social isolation in older people (Policy@Manchester).
• Webinar recording: Remotely delivered interventions – NIHR OPFPRU Covid-19 Rapid Research Response Webinar (YouTube).
• Publication: Rapid systematic review of systematic reviews: what befriending, social support and low intensity psychosocial interventions, delivered remotely, may reduce social isolation and loneliness among older adults and how? (F1000Research).

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