Loneliness & Social Isolation – Impact on Health Outcomes

PT, PTA, OT, OTA, SLP - this podcast may help you meet your continuing education requirements. Access Relias Academy to review course certificate information. 

Today we talk with Matthew Lee Smith, the Co-Director of the Texas A&M Center for Population Health and Aging and Associate Professor in the Texas A&M School of Public Health. We’ll discuss how to screen for loneliness and social isolation, and the interventions you can implement with your patients.

(04:47) Loneliness and Social Isolation Defined 
(10:10) Who Is Affected? 
(12:51) The Social Emotional Risk Profile 
(14:45) Loneliness and Social Isolation Screenings 
(24:26) Populations at Risk 
(27:08) Impacts of Loneliness and Social Isolation 
(31:58) Interventions 
(52:41) What’s Next? 
(56:20) Conclusion 

The content for this course was created by Matthew Lee Smith, PhD, MPH, CHES.

Here is how Relias can help you earn continuing education credits:

Access your Relias Library offered by your employer to see course certificate information and exam;  
or  
Access the continuing education library for clinicians at Relias Academy. Review the course certificate information, and if eligible, you can purchase the course to access the course exam and receive your certificate. 

Learn more about Relias at www.relias.com.   

_{Legal Disclaimer: The content of Stretch: Relias Rehab Therapy Education is provided only for educational and training purposes for healthcare professionals. The educational material provided in this podcast should not be used as medical advice to treat any medical condition in either yourself or others.} 

Resources 

AARP: Connect 2Tools To Overcome Social Isolation: https://connect2affect.org/

Article with Steptoe Social Isolation Index: https://www.pnas.org/content/pnas/110/15/5797.full.pdf

Article with U-SIRS: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2020.00403/full

CDC: Links to community resources for loneliness and social isolation: https://www.cdc.gov/aging/publications/features/lonely-older-adults.html

Loneliness scales: https://www.campaigntoendloneliness.org/wp-content/uploads/Loneliness-Measurement-Guidance1.pdf

PROMIS® Social Isolation Scale: https://www.healthmeasures.net/explore-measurement-systems/promis