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Latest on the engAGED Blog  



Did you know October is National Arts & Humanities Month? Art provides opportunities for socialization, sharing, understanding and belonging. Check out our latest blog post for ideas on how to celebrate the arts with those you serve. The blog post also contains inspiration for your arts and creative engagement programming year round.

Virtual Service Learning to Address Social Isolation

This pilot study explored the impact of a virtual service-learning model called Zoom Pals on long-term care residents living with dementia. Results of the study showed active engagement and communication for older adults across the sessions, and themes from interviews with older adults included decreased loneliness.

Loneliness and Fraud Potential

This experiment found middle-aged and older adults experiencing loneliness are more susceptible to fraud. Findings suggest the need for interventions targeted to this vulnerable population to prevent potential fraud victimization. 

Social Activity Over Time

Findings from this longitudinal study of aging adults in Canada show aging adults, especially women, participate in fewer social activities over time, and a significant portion of older adults, especially those who are socioeconomically disadvantaged, remain or become socially isolated. To promote social inclusion, organizations may want to explore targeting strategies based on age and socioeconomic status. 

• During this Medscape interview, Dr. Indu Subramanian and Dr. Julianne Holt-Lunstad discuss the impact of loneliness on health and share tips to address loneliness. 
• A webinar from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine shared strategies from the behavioral and social sciences to foster social connection and address social isolation and loneliness.
• A webinar from the Foundation for Social Connection (F4SC) highlighted how communities are using the F4SC Action Guide for Building Socially Connected Communities to create sustainable change through meaningful connections and how others can adapt these strategies to their own communities.

• The Surprising Truth About Loneliness in America (Vox, August 13, 2024)
• An Ageless Epidemic: Loneliness Is Prompting Efforts to Create, Boost Intergenerational Opportunities (Daily Hampshire Gazette, August 25, 2024)
• Why Is the Loneliness Epidemic So Hard to Cure? (The New York Times Magazine, August 27, 2024)
• Making New Friends at 80 (Next Avenue, September 24, 2024)
• 3 Ways to Build Brain-Boosting Social Connections (Harvard Health Publishing, September 27, 2024)
• Surgeon General Visits Maine, Encourages Social Connections to Combat Isolation (Portland Press Herald, September 27, 2024)
• Older Men’s Connections Often Wither When They’re on Their Own (The Washington Post, September 28, 2024)
• US Surgeon General Warns of 'Epidemic of Loneliness' in America (Newsweek, September 28, 2024)
• Loneliness in Washington Tops National Average (Axios Seattle, September 30, 2024)
• Overcoming Loneliness and Expectations in Relationships (Forbes, September 30, 2024) 

• Generations United Webinar: Healthier Lives Across Generations: A Blueprint for Intergenerational Living (October 24, 2024, 2:00–3:30 PM ET)

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.