NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2024

Commit to Connect Updates

Join Commit to Connect on December 19 from 12:30–2:00 PM ET for a webinar focused on how social connection can serve as a protective factor against fraud and exploitation. This webinar will highlight the annual Eldercare Locator Home for the Holidays campaign, which this year focuses on avoiding financial scams.

The webinar will also include tips from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the National Center on Elder Abuse to help protect loved ones from fraudulent attacks and exploitation. Attendees will hear from a local Area Agency on Aging in Ohio about how they are using arts and music to strengthen social connections and reduce romance scams among older adults in their community. The webinar will include CART closed captioning and American Sign Language interpretation.

Did you miss it?

In September, Commit to Connect hosted a webinar focused on outcome evaluation in social connection programming and includes findings from Commit to Connect’s recent Community of Practice. Find the webinar recording and slides from this event here.

Upcoming Opportunity: Commit to Connect to Host New Community of Practice in 2025

Commit to Connect will be launching a new Community of Practice (COP) in 2025! This COP will build on the work of the Understanding the Impact of Social Isolation and Loneliness Programs COP and allow participants access to the Upstream Social Interaction Risk Scale (U-SIRS). During the COP, participating organizations will use the U-SIRS as a pre-test and three-month post-test to collect data and better understand their social connection programs. Participants in the COP will receive technical assistance and support from CTC and a leading researcher, Dr. Matthew Lee Smith. More details on this opportunity—and how to apply—will be shared in the coming weeks! Learn more about previous COPs here.

Explore the New Innovations Hub Additions and Consider Submitting Your Program to the Call for Innovations

Commit to Connect recently added 27 new program examples to the Social Engagement Innovations Hub. With these additions, organizations now have access to more than 100 model social connection programs, services, and interventions from across the country.

The Innovations Hub is a searchable clearinghouse designed to encourage adoption, replication, and awareness of best practices and data-driven interventions, programs, and services addressing social isolation and loneliness. The newly added programs, services, and interventions include:

Sportable Wellness Initiative (WINS): Developed by Sportable in Richmond, VA, Sportable WINS offers virtual and in-person adaptive wellness programming for people with disabilities to enhance social connection and health.
GENuine Connections: Developed by DOROT in New York City, this intergenerational online space provides opportunities for older adults and teens to participate in weekly workshops, share life experiences, and build community.

Does your organization administer interventions, programs, or services that promote social connection across populations? Consider submitting it to the Call for Innovations for the Social Engagement Innovations Hub by December 13!

Apply Now!

Meet a Commit to Connect Champion Addressing Social Connection Needs in Wisconsin

Learn about the great work happening in the community through Commit to Connect’s bi-monthly blog post series. These blogs highlight innovative social connection efforts led by Commit to Connect Champions from the Nationwide Network of Champions. This month’s Champion is Michelle Castile, a strong advocate for social connectedness in her state. Michelle currently serves on the Policy Champions Committee with the Wisconsin Coalition for Social Connection. Check out the full blog post here.

Are you interested in having your organization featured in an upcoming blog post? Register to become part of the Commit to Connect Nationwide Network of Champions!

Read the Blog Post

Nationwide Network of Champions Updates: Members Now Able to Participate in Polls on Social Connection

Commit to Connect’s Nationwide Network of Champions continues to grow with 27 new members in the last two months! The 586 Champions included on the Network represent 555 organizations and 46 states and the District of Columbia. We recently launched polls to collect members’ feedback and information on activity.

What validated tool do you use to measure outcome evaluation for your social connection programs? Log in or sign up to share your response and engage with other Champions across the country!

Recent Resources and Research

Commit to Connect developed an Executive Summary Report on the Understanding the Impact of Social Isolation and Loneliness Programs Community of Practice (COP). The report provides details on the COP’s strategy, design, member profiles, outcomes achieved, and best practices.
Julianne Holt-Lunstad, a leading researcher in the field, cites social connection as a key factor influencing one's mental and physical health in this recent article. Included in the article are recommendations for identifying gaps in knowledge on this subject and strategies to foster social connection.
The U.S. Surgeon General has released a new publication, Recipes for Social Connection, to help spur connections by gathering around food. This booklet highlights easy-to-use strategies for starting conversations and engaging with your community in a meaningful way.
This recent study analyzes the Upstream Social Interaction Risk Scale (U-SIRS-13), a multi-faceted tool created to more broadly assess social connection over time. Findings from the study indicated the U-SIRS-13 was able to successfully measure and assess threats to social connectedness among older adults. Commit to Connect will be utilizing the U-SIRS-13 in its upcoming COP.
The Eldercare Locator’s 2024 Home for the Holiday’s campaign is focused on helping older adults avoid financial scams. The campaign materials include a consumer fact sheet available in English and Spanish, a social media toolkit and graphics for organizations, and a compilation of additional resources to help recognize, avoid, or report financial scams and fraud.
A recent research brief released by the National Endowment for the Arts highlights the positive relationship between arts and social connection. These findings come from analyzing data collected by the U.S. Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey from April to July 2024 and reflect the import role arts can play in one’s life.

Upcoming Events

Webinar: Diving Deeper: Advancing Connection Through the Built Environment (Foundation for Social Connection, December 10, 2024, from 2:00-3:00 PMET)
Webinar: Social Connection as a Protective Factor for Scams and Fraud (Commit to Connect, December 19, 2024, from 12:30-2:00 PM ET)
Event: Assistive Technology Industry Association Conference (ATIA, January 30–February 1, 2025)
Event: Generations United 23rd Global Intergenerational Conference (GU, June 25–27, 2025)

Funding for this initiative was made possible by contract no. HHSP233201500088I from ACL. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department of Health and Human Services; nor does mention of trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.