In January 2019, the Seniors Planning Table (SPT) held a “Review and Planning Day”. It was determined that the three recommendations from the Age-Friendly Plan that the SPT could address were:
- Social Isolation/Inclusion
- Intergenerational Collaboration
- Value of Each Person
Members of the Seniors Planning Table agreed to undertake an investigation into seniors isolation and write a report which would review relevant evidence-based research in order to:
- include definitions
- describe the impact of the issue
- identify activities/programs that have been successful in having a positive effect and that could possibly be implemented on the Sunshine Coast
The purpose of the report is to increase awareness of:
- the risks associated with isolation (physical and social)
- the impact of isolation on the physical and mental health of seniors
- the increased costs of isolation to the health care system
- the human cost to our community as a whole in the loss of the isolated person’s ability to be an included and valued member of society
- the activities/programs proven to have a positive effect in decreasing isolation
In the course of compiling this report entitled, Isolation of Canadian Older Adults, we have considered numerous reviews, studies and articles that were written in recent years on the subject of social isolation and loneliness in older adults in various countries around the world. In October of 2020, we also published an addendum entitled, Addressing Isolation of Seniors on the Sunshine Coast during COVID-19