News from engAGED
June 2023
| |
New Resource! Tips to Help Older Adults Find Intergenerational Activities | |
Our newest consumer brochure highlights benefits and examples of intergenerational activities and resources that older adults can use to find activities in their communities. Produced in partnership with the Eldercare Locator (also administered by USAging) with contributions from Generations United, the brochure is available in both English and Spanish and is customizable so you can add your organization’s logo and contact information before distributing. | |
|
Learn Strategies to Help Consumers Connect to Affordable Technology
Register for our next webinar! Taking place July 13 from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM ET, the webinar will focus on steps organizations can take to help bridge the digital divide experienced by many older adults, ensuring they have access to the internet for social connection, health care, news and entertainment and more.
| |
Did you miss our June webinar focused on social engagement for people living with dementia? Watch the recording now and view the webinar slides! | |
|
engAGED and Commit to Connect Virtual Summit: Key Takeaways
Did you miss the 2023 engAGED and Commit to Connect Social Engagement Virtual Summit? Then make sure you check out our latest blog post which includes timestamps for the recordings for each section of the Virtual Summit. During the two-day event, national, state and local leaders highlighted research, programs, tools and resources to promote social engagement and connection of older adults, people with disabilities and caregivers.
| |
|
Celebrate the ADA’s 33rd Anniversary!
July marks the 33rd anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) being signed into law. Consider hosting a special event to celebrate the talents and achievements of people with disabilities. For ideas on how to commemorate this year’s anniversary, visit the ADA National Network's #ADA33 webpage. You can also use the engAGED calendar of social engagement opportunities to find ways to promote social engagement throughout the year.
| |
|
How the Aging Network Stays #SociallyengAGED
engAGED hosted a fill-in-the-blank social media campaign in recognition of Loneliness Awareness Week. Head over to Twitter to view the hashtags #SociallyengAGED and #engAGEDandConnected to see how Aging Network and partner organization staff, volunteers and consumers stay socially engaged—and make a plan to encourage the older adults you serve to do the same!
| |
|
Strategies to Improve Social Connectedness Among Older Adults
This article describes social challenges that foster social disconnection and highlights opportunities and solutions at the community and societal level to foster social connection of older adults. The perspectives and strategies shared in the article can guide future research, practice and policy.
Social Isolation Among Caregivers of Older Adults with Cognitive Impairment
This study identified two social isolation profiles from family caregivers of older adults with cognitive impairments and examined associations with caregiver burden. Moderately connected and lonely caregivers perceived a higher level of caregiver burden and were more likely to be burdened by the health of their care recipient compared to strongly connected and not lonely caregivers, suggesting the need for tailored interventions.
| |
|
Innovations Hub Spotlight
This month we are spotlighting Social Engage Coaching developed by the
University of Rochester Medical Center. Social Engage Coaching is a coaching program that promotes social engagement through personalized goal setting and action plans. To learn more about this project and other replicable social engagement innovations from across the country, visit the engAGED Innovations Hub.
P.S. Check out the nine new programs we’ve added to the Innovations Hub!
| | | |
-
Dr. Jeffrey T. Kullgren, Director of the National Poll on Healthy Aging at the University of Michigan, highlighted trends in loneliness among older adults from 2018 to 2023 on a recent engAGED Project Advisory Committee call. View the recording to learn more.
-
Public media stations across New York brought together subject-matter experts for Young at Heart: Empowering Older Adults, a virtual discussion on strategies to combat social isolation of older adults. Watch the recording to hear tips and ideas from the panelists.
-
The Design Laboratory at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health led a six-month, three-phase project focused on social prescribing in collaboration with the Center for Arts in Medicine of the University of Florida and Social Prescribing USA. The Design for Social Prescribing: Bridging Silos for Health Promotion report outlines project learnings and action steps.
-
A recent episode of the Crossing the Chasm podcast featured Jillian Racoosin, Executive Director of the Foundation for Social Connection and the Coalition to End Social Isolation and Loneliness. Jillian shared insights for cultivating a socially engaged society.
-
The Affordable Connectivity Program now has a Spanish-language landing page you can share with consumers. The full consumer application is available in English and Spanish, while application instructions and consumer fact sheets and handouts are available in additional languages.
| |
-
'Keep dancing' as research shows it helps those over 85 to stay healthy (Medical Xpress, June 7, 2023)
-
Social participation promotes optimal aging in older adults, research shows (Medical Xpress, June 7, 2023)
-
Loneliness Can Cut Survival After a Cancer Diagnosis: Study (Health Day, June 7, 2023)
-
Combating social isolation in older adults: State agencies provide recommendations to keep senior citizens connected (WLTX, June 13, 2023)
-
Ageless Innovation Announces “Reach Out and Play”: A National Initiative Designed to Combat Social Isolation and Create Meaningful Connections for Older Adults Through the Power of Play (Businesswire, June 13, 2023)
-
Social Isolation And Hypertension: Middle Aged And Older Women May Be At High Risk, Says Study (TheHealthSite.com, June 13, 2023)
-
Addressing the Epidemic of Loneliness: Meals on Wheels America Study Paves the Way for Transformative Solutions (PR Newswire, June 14, 2023)
-
AMA will educate doctors, public on how loneliness affects health (American Medical Association, June 14, 2023)
-
Socially active older adults remain healthier over time, study finds (McKnights, June 14, 2023)
-
Loneliness is a health crisis comparable to smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day. Here’s how to combat it (Fortune, June 15, 2023)
| |
This project #90EECC0002 is supported by the Administration for Community Living (ACL), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $450,000 (or 74 percent) funded by ACL/HHS and $161,554 (or 26 percent) funded by non-government sources. The contents are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by ACL/HHS, or the U.S. Government. | | | | |
