Social science gero 320 week 4 assignment assistance | GERO320 PSYCHOLOCIAL ASPECTS OF AGING | University of Maryland Baltimore

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Annotated Bibliography

Barnes, T. L., MacLeod, S., Tkatch, R., Ahuja, M., Albright, L., Schaeffer, J. A., & Yeh, C. S. (2021). Cumulative effect of loneliness and social isolation on health outcomes among older adults.
Aging & Mental Health,
26(7), 1–8.
https://doi.org/10.1080/13607863.2021.1940096

This article examines how loneliness and social isolation affect older individuals’ health. Often used interchangeably, loneliness and social isolation are different concepts that might affect older adults’ well-being. The study uses 2018–2019 survey data from a random sample of US individuals 65 and older. Participants were divided into four groups by loneliness, social isolation, both, or neither. The study found that lonely and socially isolated people were older, female, sicker, and depressed. Adjusted results showed that people with loneliness and social isolation had greater emergency room visits and modestly higher medical costs.

This page helps explain how loneliness and social isolation affect older individuals’ health. It illuminates these elements’ demographics and healthcare utilization effects. The COVID-19 epidemic highlights the need for specific interventions to improve the well-being of lonely and socially isolated older persons. The essay emphasizes the need to address these difficulties in older populations, making it a trustworthy and relevant source for social well-being research in older persons.

CDC. (2020, May 26).
Loneliness and Social Isolation Linked to Serious Health Conditions. Www.cdc.gov.
https://www.cdc.gov/aging/publications/features/lonely-older-adults.html#:~:text=Older%20adults%20are%20at%20increased

The CDC article illuminates how loneliness and social isolation affect older persons’ health. More than one-third of 45-year-olds and almost one-fourth of 65-year-olds are lonely, according to this site. The piece clearly distinguishes loneliness from social isolation. Loneliness and social isolation pose serious health hazards, as the article shows. Social isolation may increase premature death risk as much as smoking, obesity, and inactivity, according to research. It increases dementia risk by 50% and is linked to heart disease, stroke, depression, anxiety, and suicide. The report also notes that immigrant, LGBT, and minority populations are more susceptible to loneliness and social isolation, calling for greater research. Healthcare systems can identify at-risk individuals and connect them to community resources, making them crucial to tackling loneliness and isolation. It suggests clinical use of the Berkman-Syme Social Network Index and UCLA Loneliness Scale to assess social isolation and loneliness. Including this source in the study article can help show the extent of the problem and the necessity for healthcare interventions to reduce loneliness and social isolation in older persons, improving their well-being. The CDC’s credibility as a public health source enhances its quality and relevance.

Donovan, N. J., & Blazer, D. (2020). Social Isolation and Loneliness in Older Adults: Review and Commentary of a National Academies Report.
The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry,
28(12), 1233–1244. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jagp.2020.08.005

Donovan and Blazer’s article provides a thoughtful analysis of the National Academies report, “Social Isolation and Loneliness in Older Adults,” which I use in my research on social isolation’s effects on older individuals’ well-being. The authors’ considerable engagement in the report’s creation shows their expertise. According to my study, the report’s concentration on people 50 and older provides significant insights for solving the issue in this population. The report’s 2020 publication is pertinent to my investigation of the subject’s current significance, especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. The authors stress the importance of the healthcare system in tackling social isolation and loneliness, which will help explain how healthcare institutions may help older persons. The article emphasizes the necessity to balance the health benefits of social distancing with the importance of preserving critical social interactions, which contributes to my research on pandemic public health interventions. This reliable, subject-matter-expert source fits my study themes and is a wonderful complement to my annotated bibliography.

Fakoya, O. A., McCorry, N. K., & Donnelly, M. (2020). Loneliness and social isolation interventions for older adults: a scoping review of reviews.
BMC Public Health,
20(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-020-8251-6

Fakoya, McCorry, and Donnelly’s scoping review covers strategies to reduce loneliness and social isolation in older persons. A rising problem in an aging culture is that half of people over 60 are at risk of social isolation, and one-third experience loneliness later in life. My study work benefits from this source because it details therapies for loneliness and social isolation, which is crucial to understanding these tactics. A comprehensive search of internet databases yielded 33 reviews of older adult therapies. These interventions targeted community or institutionalized residents and used group or one-to-one delivery formats and diverse intervention styles. However, the article highlights a significant issue: intervention component categorization and definition are inconsistent. This source helps me comprehend how loneliness and isolation are individual, making uniform interventions difficult.

Garcia, E., & Jordan, R. (2022, May 3).
Social Isolation & Loneliness for Older Adults. Ncoa.org; The National Council on Aging.
https://ncoa.org/article/navigating-social-isolation-and-loneliness-as-an-older-adult

This source is reputable for studying older individuals’ social isolation and loneliness. It explores how these two elements affect older adults’ physical, emotional, and mental health. Social interaction helps counteract social isolation and loneliness, according to the article. It highlights the degree of social isolation and loneliness in older adults with statistics. Living alone, having chronic conditions, and experiencing the COVID-19 pandemic are additional risk factors for social isolation and loneliness. Technology can also help older individuals socialize. Multigenerational connections and their benefits enrich the loneliness topic. The essay covers social isolation and loneliness from the perspective of healthcare practitioners and communities, making it a comprehensive resource. It also lists social connection and resilience resources and organizations for further investigation. This source is interesting, well-referenced, and excellent for studying the effects of social isolation and loneliness on older persons and possible solutions.

Hwang, J., Wang, L., Siever, J., Medico, T. D., & Jones, C. A. (2019). Loneliness and social isolation among older adults in a community exercise program: a qualitative study.
Aging & Mental Health,
23(6), 736–742. https://doi.org/10.1080/13607863.2018.1450835

This qualitative study examines loneliness and social isolation (L&SI) in older individuals in the “Walk ‘n’ Talk for your Life” (WTL) community fitness program. The authors want to know how WTL affects attendees’ L&SI. Sixteen program graduates were interviewed individually about their experiences. Content analysis categorized qualitative data. WTL improved participants’ loneliness and social isolation, according to the study. The group exercise and walking component gave them a sense of “belonging,” which encouraged socialization and reduced loneliness. WTL and other community fitness programs may help older persons with L&SI. The article is useful for research on community-based L&SI programs for older individuals. The study’s well-documented procedures add to our understanding of how such programs benefit participants. This article supports the use of community fitness programs to promote older individuals’ socializing, loneliness, and mental health. The authors are experts in aging and mental health, making the article trustworthy for further investigation.

National Institute on Aging. (2019).
Social isolation, Loneliness in Older People Pose Health Risks. National Institute on Aging. https://www.nia.nih.gov/news/social-isolation-loneliness-older-people-pose-health-risks

The National Institute on Aging (NIA) addresses social isolation and loneliness in older individuals in a detailed essay. The essay discusses how social isolation and loneliness can cause cognitive decline, depression, heart disease, and more. It addresses the intricate relationship between social isolation (objective physical separation) and loneliness (subjective uncomfortable feeling). Differentiating between people who live alone but are not lonely and those who feel lonely despite family and friends is crucial, according to the report. It shows that social isolation and loneliness can damage health separately. This source is reliable since it is published by the National Institute on Aging, a leading aging research agency. The article relies on scientific facts, notably the work of social neuroscience pioneer John T. Cacioppo. His research adds credence to the source.

Newall, N. E. G., & Menec, V. H. (2019). Loneliness and social isolation of older adults.
Journal of Social and Personal Relationships,
36(3), 026540751774904. https://doi.org/10.1177/0265407517749045

Newall and Menec (2019) examine the serious issue of social isolation and loneliness among older persons. The authors accept that these are becoming major health concerns for this age. The essay emphasizes that loneliness and social isolation are often explored independently, even in the same study. Newall and Menec present a strong case for merging these related but distinct concepts. They propose classifying older persons as alone but not lonely, lonely in a crowd, lonely, and not lonely. This category provides a more complex view of older individuals’ social condition. Research and therapeutic initiatives benefit from the article’s focus on social isolation and loneliness. It underlines the distinction between social isolation and subjective loneliness. This sophisticated approach can assist policymakers, service providers, and researchers in tailoring initiatives to older individuals’ requirements. The article’s publication in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships suggests scientific credibility. Their research-oriented approach and rigorous publication platform suggest their experience in the discipline, but it is not stated. This site will help you understand how social isolation and loneliness affect older individuals’ well-being.

Su, Y., Rao, W., Li, M., Caron, G., D’Arcy, C., & Meng, X. (2022). Prevalence of loneliness and social isolation among older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
International Psychogeriatrics, 1–13.
https://doi.org/10.1017/s1041610222000199

Su et al. examine how pandemics, particularly COVID-19, affect older persons’ social isolation and loneliness. A comprehensive review and meta-analysis of 30 relevant studies with 28,050 individuals from January 1, 2000, to November 31, 2021 was done. The main goal was to quantify pandemic-related loneliness and social isolation in older persons. Older persons had 28.6% loneliness and 31.2% social isolation, according to the study. The prevalence of these issues was higher after the first three months of the COVID-19 epidemic than before. This material is useful for my research on pandemics and older individuals’ mental health. Recent data shows that older persons endured loneliness and social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data is extensive and statistically robust due to the systematic review and meta-analysis design. This source also emphasizes the need to address older individuals’ psychological well-being during pandemics and argues that healthcare systems should be prepared to provide appropriate services. This article sheds light on pandemics’ effects on older individuals’ mental health and the need for long-term support and legislative changes.

WHO. (2020).
Social isolation and loneliness among older people: advocacy brief. Www.who.int. https://www.who.int/publications-detail-redirect/9789240030749

The WHO advocacy brief, is useful for my research on how social isolation and loneliness affect older individuals’ well-being. The COVID-19 pandemic has increased worry about these concerns’ public health and policy ramifications, which the brief examines. The document covers the scope, effects, and consequences of social isolation and loneliness in older adults. This source is reliable since it comes from the WHO, a global public health authority. The organization’s healthcare knowledge strengthens the information. The WHO authors are subject matter experts. Other research sources corroborate the premise that social isolation and loneliness in older individuals are public health issues. The brief also suggests policy answers, making it a useful resource for understanding these challenges’ tactics and treatments. It will help me explain policy implications and recommendations in my research paper. This source will deepen and broaden my paper by providing a global perspective on older persons’ social isolation and loneliness issues and possible remedies.