Intervention to reduce loneliness among older adults in the community: Making friends with volunteers

• Published in: Geriatrics & gerontology international Vol. 24; no. S1; pp. 240 - 245
• Main Authors: Hsu, Hui‐Chuan, Chang, Shu‐Ching, Liang, Chun‐Yu, Ting, Jie‐Rong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kyoto, Japan John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd 01.03.2024; Blackwell Publishing Ltd
• Subjects: Community development; Friendship; Generalized linear models; Health literacy; Loneliness; Older people; Social isolation; social support; volunteer; Taiwan; social support; social isolation; older people; volunteer; loneliness
• ISSN: 1444-1586; 1447-0594; 1447-0594
• DOI: 10.1111/ggi.14828

Aim This study aimed to examine the effects of providing a program that introduced volunteers to make friends with older adults to reduce loneliness and increase loneliness literacy. Methods Eight community development associations in Taiwan participated in the study. In the first stage, older people living alone or with only a spouse, or those with a family, but without substantial interactions, were screened for loneliness. Older adults with a higher risk of loneliness were given priority to be invited to participate in this intervention. This 3‐month intervention program was designed by each community development association and delivered at the older adults' homes. A total of 87 older persons completed both waves of the interviews. Results Loneliness was reduced (UCLA‐6 Loneliness Scale scores decreased from 13.5 to 11.6), and loneliness literacy improved (loneliness literacy scores increased from 38.9 to 42.0) compared with what it was before the program. In a generalized linear model, when controlling for covariates, loneliness was reduced, but not significantly (B = −0.934, P > 0.05), whereas loneliness literacy improved significantly for older participants (B = 2.088, P < 0.05). Conclusions Making friends with older adults who are lonely might improve their loneliness literacy. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2024; 24: 240–245. Loneliness and loneliness literacy before and after the intervention for the older participants and the volunteers by sex and by neighbourhood. A community‐based program by introducing volunteers to make friends with older adults to reduce loneliness and increase loneliness literacy. Loneliness reduced and loneliness literacy increased for the older participants and for the volunteers after the program.