Assessing the sustainability of peer programs in addressing social isolation and loneliness in older adults: Implications for California COVID-19 recovery efforts

The COVID-19 pandemic increased social isolation and loneliness among older adults, which are known to harm health and well-being. Connecting isolated or lonely older persons with people like themselves for shared activities, conversation and companionship is a promising strategy to address these experiences. These programs are called Peer Programs. However, the pandemic has made it much harder to connect people in person because of understandable concerns about transmission of disease. Outreach to isolated and lonely older people has also been especially challenging in communities of color, marginalized communities, and in poorer neighborhoods.

The purpose of this project is to understand what impact the pandemic has had on peer programs, find out what things have been tried to overcome the barriers created by the pandemic, and to identify ways to expand access to peer programs to serve all populations in need. We will interview older adults who have been served by peer programs, as well as the peers who helped them, program leaders, and other community organizations that help older people.

Our goal is to help the state of California recover from the collective isolation we just endured, prepare for future public health crises, and protect the mental and social health of all older Californians by reducing loneliness and isolation. We will further determine if the recent approval of SB803, which allows peers to become certified and bill Medi-CAL, will affect how peers interact with older adult clients and if this can help Peer Programs grow. 

Collaborators

• Johns Hopkins University
• Mt. Sinai University
• Curry Senior Center
• Richmond Area Multi-services, Inc (RAMS)
• Department of Disability and Aging Services