Skip to content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Book
  • Careers
  • Podcast
  • Recommended
  • Speaking
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
    • All
    • Physician
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • Video
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Recommended
    • Speaking

Simple solutions for social connections

Grisel Rodriguez-Morales, LCSW
Conditions
June 11, 2022
Share
Tweet
Share

When Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa acquired the company that makes Lovot,  a pet-sized robot for emotional support, it spoke about more than a financial investment in robotics. The news was tied to love, companionship, and healing. It also revealed the global loneliness and social isolation pandemic. The use of assistive robots is gaining popularity in Japan and China to deal with the caregiver shortage because social isolation is particularly acute within the aging population.

As a social worker focused on aging, I’ve seen how bringing people together with similar health goals and interests can create community and foster social connections. Lockdowns during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic brought uncertainty and the need to keep older adults connected while socially distancing. Connecting with others offers more than socialization.

The causes of social isolation and loneliness vary from one person to another. One thing is clear – loneliness is a threat to health and well-being, and if left unchecked, it could lead to prolonged social isolation. Older adults are at risk of both conditions, which makes them more susceptible to a series of physical and mental health problems. Growing evidence indicates that loneliness is associated with mild cognitive impairment and dementia. Some of the health consequences of prolonged loneliness include a greater risk for heart disease and stroke and an increased risk of premature death.

Social isolation contributes to relapse and overdose rates. The nation’s opioid crisis has continued during the COVID-19 pandemic, and there is a significant increase in opioid overdose among older adults. Ageism and stereotypes rarely put older adults as drug users. Those dealing with declining cognitive function and taking prescribed opioids for chronic conditions could be more vulnerable to overdose, especially if chronically isolated.

While social robots may be helpful, they come at a price. Lovot costs close to $3,000 and an $80 monthly service fee. Another robot manufactured in Japan that’s FDA-approved is PARO, deemed a $6,000 medical device.

There may be better ways to decrease feelings of loneliness and social isolation than turning to robots that not only lack social contact but also infantilize older adults.

First, give virtual programming a try. This includes fitness classes, support groups, and evidence-based workshops that offer tools and education needed to decrease the risk of falling or to effectively manage chronic health conditions. Participation in health promotion programming might offer a chance to connect with others dealing with similar health problems, while offering education on preventing disease. Not sure where to find them? Your Area Agency on Aging might be able to help.

For those with very limited interactions with family, friends, or neighbors, different friendly caller programs are offered throughout the nation. These programs usually have vetted volunteers who, after training, get in touch with those individuals who have agreed to receive regular friendly calls. AARP offers the Friendly Voices Program. You might also want to consider being that needed volunteer. Increased social contacts and a sense of belonging are some of the positive effects that might be possible from volunteering or from engaging in self-transcendent behaviors.

Even individuals dealing with social isolation might have good reasons for having some apprehension around others. They might be using previous experiences that might cause them to move cautiously in social interactions. According to University of Chicago researchers, lonely people’s brains feeling vulnerable engage in self-preservation. This greater focus on themselves causes them to lose social skills. Like pain forces us to move our hands from a burning stove, short-term loneliness signals the need for social connections.

Increase your confidence in talking to strangers! This is easier said than done for many of us. Thank goodness there are plenty of self-help books, articles, podcasts, and videos trying to help people gain the skills and confidence needed to connect with unfamiliar individuals (yes, what we call strangers). The HOPE Lab (Helping Older People Engage) is conducting very promising studies and interventions, including a social conversational program skills training program for older adults.

This last recommendation might be confusing given the rise of money scams targeting older adults. However, the increased isolation during COVID-19 has made this problem worse. Staying connected to others could offer some protection against fraud and scams.

Like researcher John Cacciopo asserted over a decade ago, loneliness can strike anyone. It’s important to not get stuck on that brief feeling. The response and steps taken next matter, especially if it involves increasing social connections. It’s never late to make lifestyle changes.

Grisel Rodriguez-Morales is a social worker.

ADVERTISEMENT

Image credit: Shutterstock.com

Prev

Nurses are struggling in isolation [PODCAST]

June 10, 2022 Kevin 0
…
Next

How the EHR is like a growing blob

June 11, 2022 Kevin 2
…

Tagged as: Psychiatry

Post navigation

< Previous Post
Nurses are struggling in isolation [PODCAST]
Next Post >
How the EHR is like a growing blob

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

Related Posts

  • Why social media may be causing real emotional harm

    Edwin Leap, MD
  • A physician’s addiction to social media

    Amanda Xi, MD
  • Are negative news cycles and social media injurious to our health?

    Rabia Jalal, MD
  • How I used social media to get promoted to professor

    David R. Stukus, MD
  • How social media leads to a loss of creativity

    Edwin Leap, MD
  • Are patients using social media to attack physicians?

    David R. Stukus, MD

More in Conditions

  • Why shared decision-making in medicine often fails

    M. Bennet Broner, PhD
  • She wouldn’t move in the womb—then came the rare diagnosis that changed everything

    Amber Robertson
  • Diabetes and Alzheimer’s: What your blood sugar might be doing to your brain

    Marc Arginteanu, MD
  • How motherhood reshaped my identity as a scientist and teacher

    Kathleen Muldoon, PhD
  • Jumpstarting African health care with the beats of innovation

    Princess Benson
  • Voices from the inside: 35 years as a nurse in health care

    Virginia DeFranco, RN
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • How dismantling DEI endangers the future of medical care

      Shashank Madhu and Christian Tallo | Education
    • How scales of justice saved a doctor-patient relationship

      Neil Baum, MD | Physician
    • The broken health care system doesn’t have to break you

      Jessie Mahoney, MD | Physician
    • The hidden cost of delaying back surgery

      Gbolahan Okubadejo, MD | Conditions
    • Do Jewish students face rising bias in holistic admissions?

      Anonymous | Education
    • “Think twice, heal once”: Why medical decision-making needs a second opinion from your slower brain (and AI)

      Harvey Castro, MD, MBA | Tech
  • Past 6 Months

    • What’s driving medical students away from primary care?

      ​​Vineeth Amba, MPH, Archita Goyal, and Wayne Altman, MD | Education
    • Internal Medicine 2025: inspiration at the annual meeting

      American College of Physicians | Physician
    • A faster path to becoming a doctor is possible—here’s how

      Ankit Jain | Education
    • Residency as rehearsal: the new pediatric hospitalist fellowship requirement scam

      Anonymous | Physician
    • Are quotas a solution to physician shortages?

      Jacob Murphy | Education
    • The hidden bias in how we treat chronic pain

      Richard A. Lawhern, PhD | Meds
  • Recent Posts

    • Antimicrobial resistance: a public health crisis that needs your voice [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Why a fourth year will not fix emergency medicine’s real problems

      Anna Heffron, MD, PhD & Polly Wiltz, DO | Education
    • Why shared decision-making in medicine often fails

      M. Bennet Broner, PhD | Conditions
    • Do Jewish students face rising bias in holistic admissions?

      Anonymous | Education
    • She wouldn’t move in the womb—then came the rare diagnosis that changed everything

      Amber Robertson | Conditions
    • Rethinking medical education for a technology-driven era in health care [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast

Subscribe to KevinMD and never miss a story!

Get free updates delivered free to your inbox.


Find jobs at
Careers by KevinMD.com

Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now.

Learn more

View 1 Comments >

Founded in 2004 by Kevin Pho, MD, KevinMD.com is the web’s leading platform where physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, medical students, and patients share their insight and tell their stories.

Social

  • Like on Facebook
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Connect on Linkedin
  • Subscribe on Youtube
  • Instagram

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • How dismantling DEI endangers the future of medical care

      Shashank Madhu and Christian Tallo | Education
    • How scales of justice saved a doctor-patient relationship

      Neil Baum, MD | Physician
    • The broken health care system doesn’t have to break you

      Jessie Mahoney, MD | Physician
    • The hidden cost of delaying back surgery

      Gbolahan Okubadejo, MD | Conditions
    • Do Jewish students face rising bias in holistic admissions?

      Anonymous | Education
    • “Think twice, heal once”: Why medical decision-making needs a second opinion from your slower brain (and AI)

      Harvey Castro, MD, MBA | Tech
  • Past 6 Months

    • What’s driving medical students away from primary care?

      ​​Vineeth Amba, MPH, Archita Goyal, and Wayne Altman, MD | Education
    • Internal Medicine 2025: inspiration at the annual meeting

      American College of Physicians | Physician
    • A faster path to becoming a doctor is possible—here’s how

      Ankit Jain | Education
    • Residency as rehearsal: the new pediatric hospitalist fellowship requirement scam

      Anonymous | Physician
    • Are quotas a solution to physician shortages?

      Jacob Murphy | Education
    • The hidden bias in how we treat chronic pain

      Richard A. Lawhern, PhD | Meds
  • Recent Posts

    • Antimicrobial resistance: a public health crisis that needs your voice [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Why a fourth year will not fix emergency medicine’s real problems

      Anna Heffron, MD, PhD & Polly Wiltz, DO | Education
    • Why shared decision-making in medicine often fails

      M. Bennet Broner, PhD | Conditions
    • Do Jewish students face rising bias in holistic admissions?

      Anonymous | Education
    • She wouldn’t move in the womb—then came the rare diagnosis that changed everything

      Amber Robertson | Conditions
    • Rethinking medical education for a technology-driven era in health care [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast

MedPage Today Professional

An Everyday Health Property Medpage Today
  • Terms of Use | Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
All Content © KevinMD, LLC
Site by Outthink Group

Simple solutions for social connections
1 comments

Comments are moderated before they are published. Please read the comment policy.

Loading Comments...