Educational Objectives
1. To discuss social isolation among older adults.
2. To promote awareness of the ElderFriends program, an intervention newly established in greater Richmond
3. To seek friendly visitors for the ElderFriends program

Coble, Sarah

Ware, Kiersten Seeger

VCU Scholars Compass

Virginia Commonwealth UniversityVCU Scholars CompassCase Studies from Age in Action Virginia Center on Aging2006ElderFriends: Relieving Loneliness Among EldersKiersten Seeger WareVirginia Commonwealth UniversitySarah CobleElderFriendsFollow this and additional works at: http://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/vcoa_casePart of the Geriatrics CommonsCopyright managed by Virginia Center on Aging.This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Virginia Center on Aging at VCU Scholars Compass. It has been accepted for inclusion inCase Studies from Age in Action by an authorized administrator of VCU Scholars Compass. For more information, please contactlibcompass@vcu.edu.Recommended CitationWare, K. & Coble, S. (2006). ElderFriends: Relieving Loneliness Among Elders. Age in Action, 21(3), 1-4.Volume 21 Number 3 Summer 2006ElderFriends: RelievingLoneliness AmongEldersby Kiersten Seeger Ware and Sarah CobleEducational Objectives1. To discuss social isolationamong older adults.2. To promote awareness of theElderFriends program, anintervention newly established ingreater Richmond 3. To seek friendly visitors forthe ElderFriends program.BackgroundSocial isolation among eldershas long been recognized asproblem that diminishes theirwell-being, one associated withproblems of low morale, poorhealth, and the risk of prematureinstitutionalization (Bennett,1980).  Social isolation alsofrequently leads to depressionand a variety of related healthproblems, such as compromisedneuroendocrine or immunefunctioning (Sorkin et al., 2002).Loneliness has been linked tocardiovascular disease as well,through a variety of physio-logical processes.  In addition tobiological linkages, lonelypeople are more likely to sufferfrom cardiovascular disease dueto the deleterious health effectsof their own lifestyles, such aslittle to no exercise, unhealthyeating habits, and alcohol abuse(Sorkin et al., 2002).  Because oftheir isolation, people experienc-ing loneliness may not exercisesufficient self-care, beingunmotivated themselves andlacking the social contacts thatencourage them to do so (Sorkinet al., 2002).  From self-careactivities to cardiovasculardisease to depression andloneliness, social isolation is acomplex problem that affectsevery aspect of a person’s life:biological, psychological, social,and spiritual.  Strong andconsistent evidence points to animportant association betweensocial network involvement andbetter physical health amongolder adults (Seeman et al.,1993; Tucker, et al., 1999).Feeling love and support fromothers helps encourageindividuals to maintain physicalhealth, preventing further needfor medical attention.  Inter-vention strategies at personaland community levels canimprove quality of life for olderadults (Blazer, 2002).MissionElderFriends was founded inSeattle in 1996 on the principlethat connection to others and toone’s community is just asimportant to the well-being ofolder people as nursing care andmedicine.  ElderFriendsRichmond began in the Fall of2005 as a pilot program. Itsmission is to help elders remainindependent for as long aspossible and to reduce isolationand loneliness among low-Inside This Issue:VCoA Editorial, 5 Geriatric Care Management, 9 The Graying of Transgender, 16VGEC Editorial, 6 ARDRAF Recipients, 10 Calendar, 18VDA Editorial, 7 Medicaid - Dual Eligibles, 12 Staff Listings, 19Focus: Kenneth Newell, 8 Avian Flu, 14 Elder Abuse Conference, 20Case Study2income, shut-in elders by pairingthem with younger volunteerswho provide companionship,outreach, and advocacy.  Theseintergenerational relationshipsare key to the program’s success.ElderFriends has the followinggoals and objectives:  1. To relieve isolation andloneliness2. To help elders to remain in-dependent for as long as possible3. To improve lives throughsocial interaction4. To improve caring interactionsbetween and among children,youth, adults, and elders 5. To look for signs of neglect orabuse of elders and help identifyappropriate services for victims5. To advocate throughcommunity networks that focuson low-income elderlypopulations.Program ComponentsElder ParticipantsThe target population forElderFriends participants is frailelders living independently intheir own apartments or homeswho report feeling isolated andlonely.  These “shut-in” eldershave the desire to continue tolive independently, but needmore social contact and con-nection with their community todo so.Intergenerational RelationshipsElderFriends providescompanionship, outreach, andadvocacy through intergener-ational relationships. Volunteersof all ages are offered theopportunity to join elders infriendship and an intergener-ational celebration of life, whilegiving isolated elders the chanceto develop rewarding relation-ships and enjoy increased socialinteraction.  These relationshipsoften lead to caring friendshipsbetween youths, adults, andelders.  Visiting volunteers andtheir families develop ongoingrelationships with elders in thecommunity that encourageemotional well being.VolunteersElderFriendsbelieves that thesocial networks ofisolated older adults who are stillliving independently can beexpanded and strengthened byproperly trained and supportedon-going volunteer visitors.Volunteers typically visit theirelder friends four times a monthand maintain frequent contactwith them through letters andphone calls.  All volunteersparticipate in training on theElderFriends philosophy,processes of aging, communi-cation skills, and relevantcommunity resources that helpsthem understand their roles asfriendly visitors and makes themaware of existing services.ElderFriends volunteers make acommitment to keep in contactwith ElderFriends staff regard-ing the progress of the relation-ship with their elder and his/herneeds, and changes in either’scircumstances.  Throughconsistent communication andtraining opportunities,volunteers are able to assist theirelder in meeting needs byworking together with them, thesocial services network, andElderFriends staff.   Volunteersknowing about community-based resources encourageelders in self-advocacy byconnecting them with potentiallybeneficial services.  Often,elders simply are not aware ofexisting community services.ElderFriends strives to assistparticipants by broadening theirknowledge and connecting themwith these services.Community OrganizationsElderFriends collaborates withother organizations that providerelevant services, such asprimary health care, home choreservices, home health care,transportation, and legalassistance.  ElderFriendsvolunteers work directly with avariety of case managers inhuman services to help elders toaccess other services outside ofElderFriends itself. This inter-organizational pattern explainswhy the majority of referrals ofelders to the program are fromhealth care agencies whichprovide services to theseindividuals.  These agencies areeager to work with ElderFriendsbecause doing so links theseolder adults to already availableservices rather than duplicatingthem.  3Case Study #1 (FromElderfriends Richmond)Diane is a 99-year-old widow, aformer dancer who was facingan unusual situation when her80-year-old son’s wife had amini-stroke which resulted in hishaving to spend more of his timecaring for her and less of histime caring for his mother.Diane had moved to Richmondfrom New York City when herhusband became ill and died.Although she could somewhatcare for herself, her failingeyesight prevented her fromgetting out much and fromcooking her own meals.  Inaddition, Diane simply feltisolated and lonely.  When shereported these feelings, and adesire to get out of the housewith a companion, to her Mealson Wheels representative, thatrepresentative referred her toElderFriends.  It, in turn,matched her with a friendlyvisitor named Fanny, a middle-aged graduate student living farfrom her own family in India. For the past six months, Dianehas been enjoying a closerelationship with Fanny. Fannyvisits in home and takes Dianeout, which gives Dianesomething to look forward to.Fanny also occasionally cooksspecial food from her homecountry for Diane.  These mealsgive Diane a break from herroutine Meals on Wheelsdinners.  Diane reports that shesees Fanny as the daughter shenever had.  She says that she iskind, considerate, eager to pleaseand she “doesn’t look annoyedat an old woman.”  Diane’s sonis still needed and able to helpher with instrumental tasks, suchas taking her to her doctor’sappointments, but her lonelinessis at least somewhat alleviatedthrough her weekly visits andphone calls from Fanny and herweekly phone chats andoccasional visits from theElderFriends coordinator.  Therelationship is reciprocal, asFanny reports that she gains a lotfrom her relationship with Dianeas well. Case Study #2 (FromElderfriends Seattle)Bob is a 76-year-old formerhandyman who was referred toElderFriends by a local humanservices agency. He is a low-income male who lives alone inhis own apartment and cares forhimself independently.  The casemanager completed an intakereferral form that indicatedBob’s physical and emotionaldifficulties/challenges. Amongthem were vision and hearinglosses, does not go out, historyof stroke, wants a friendlyvisitor, isolated and lonely.Brian, a young Seattle resident,participated in the ElderFriendsannual Thanksgiving Day Event,one of many large-scale eventsElderFriends Seattle offered toolder adults and volunteers(which ElderFriends Richmondis working toward adopting).  Heenjoyed the experience so muchthat he committed to becometrained for the "Adopt aGrandparent" friendly visitoropportunity.  Brian and Bobwere matched on a trial basis oftwo to three visits, during whichtime several check-in phonecalls were made to both men.Each check-in was positive andboth elected to commit todevelop an ongoing friendship.More than three years later,Brian and Bob were still goingstrong.  According to Brian’squarterly reports, they had in-person visits four times a monthand spoke on the phone once ortwice weekly.  Bob is no longerconsidered to be house-bound.He and Brian go out regularly.In Brian’s words:Bob has lived in Ballard for eight years.  The first five years he spent all his time caring for his very ill wife May.  May died three years ago and Bob hadn’t really gone anywhere since.  He lives within three-quarters ofa mile of the Ballard Locks and had never been there.  Since I have been visiting Bob, we have walked to the Locks and had dinner together, taken two cruises with ElderFriends, gone to see "A Christmas Carol" with outing tickets from ElderFriends, had pizza picnics on the common outdoor area at his apartment and taken drives.  We went out to Winlock, Washington because he wanted to look for the farm his family lived on 30 years ago.  Bob now gets out, unlike the seven years beforewe met.  I look forward to many years of weekly visits with him."… Brian Pankow.Their friendship exudes a mutualexchange of respect and trust.Both men have expressed theirgratitude to ElderFriends forintroducing them and supportingtheir friendship.  They anticipatehaving a lifelong friendship.ConclusionElderFriends offers a model forpositive action in cases ofisolation and associatedproblems. The newly launchedElderFriends program inRichmond has halfway met its2006 goal of 12 matches,currently supporting six eldersand friendly visitors.  We are inthe process of matching anadditional four volunteers withisolated elders from the FamilyLifeline program.  ElderFriendsis constantly seeking newvolunteers and isolated elders toserve.  We provide trainingsessions for volunteers regularlyand monitor partnerings in orderto maximize the benefits of theintergenerational relationship.For more information, to refer anolder adult, or to volunteer,please call (804) 828-6059 oremail elderfriends@vcu.edu.Study Questions1. What are some commonproblems associated with socialisolation?2. What impediments might afriendly visitor program face?3. How does friendly visitationplay a role in preventativehealthcare?ReferencesBennett, R.  (1980). Aging,isolation, and resocialization.New York: VanNostrandReinhold.Blazer, Dan G. (2002).  Self-efficacy and depression in latelife: A primary prevention.Aging and Mental Health, 6(4),315-324.Seeman, T.E., Berkman, L.F.,Kohout, F., Lacroix, A., Glynn,R. & Blazer, D. (1993).  Inter-community variations in theassociation between social tiesand mortality in the elderly: Acomparative analysis of threecommunities. Annals ofEpidemiology, 3, 325-335.Sorkin, D., Rook, K.S., & Lu,J.L. (2002). Loneliness, lack ofemotional support, lack of com-panionship, and the likelihood ofhaving a heart condition in anelderly sample. Annals ofBehavioral Medicine, 24(4),290-298.Tucker, J.S., Schwartz, J.E.,Clark, K.M. & Friedman, H.S.(1999). Age-related changes inthe associations of socialnetwork ties with mortality risk.Psychology and Aging, 14(4),564-571.About the AuthorsKiersten SeegerWare has been inthe nonprofit andeducation fields forthe last 16 years.Prior to her appointment at VCUas director of administration andfaculty member for the TheatreDepartment, Kiersten foundedand directed ElderFriends inSeattle, Washington. Her workwith ElderFriends earned it the“Best New Organization Award”in 2000.  She is currentlyenrolled in the VCU Master ofScience program in Gerontology.Sarah Coble is the part-timeAdvocate Coordinator forElderFriends. She is a masterlevel student in VCU’sGerontology Program. Ms.Coble runs the day-to-dayElderFriends operation.  Ms.Coble has a BS in Gerontologyfrom Missouri State Universityand has worked locally at theWilliam Byrd CommunityHouse as a Senior ProgramAssistant.  4

ElderFriends: Relieving Loneliness Among Elders

http://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1051&context=vcoa_case

ElderFriends: Relieving Loneliness Among Elders

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

VCU Scholars Compass