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Humanism and Philosophy

Intervention profiles to help tackle loneliness and social isolation among elderly people

  • Start: 1 January 2020
  • End: 1 January 2024
  • Status: ongoing

This project has developed a typology of intervention profiles. The typology serves as a tool to identify suitable interventions for elderly people who are lonely or socially isolated. 


Trailer typologieën from Coalitie Erbij Rotterdam on Vimeo.


Description

People of all ages can be lonely or socially isolated, but elderly people are more likely to be affected: significant others in their network may pass away, their own health or mobility may decrease, they no longer fulfil a clear societal role, and they may increasingly feel that they have become redundant. 


Long-term loneliness and isolation can lead to serious health issues. That is why many interventions have been developed to tackle loneliness and social isolation. Most interventions are aimed at network development and activation, on the assumption that loneliness will decrease by having more social contacts. However, this isn’t always a suitable solution. Further support is often required to reduce the loneliness or isolation, or to cope more successfully with the situation.


This project has developed a typology of intervention profiles. A typology serves as a tool to help identify suitable interventions for elderly people who are lonely or socially isolated. The profiles contained in the typology are based on more than 300 cases, described in the logbooks of Rotterdam-based professionals, interviews with social professionals, and over 100 conversations with elderly people who feel lonely or socially isolated.


The project includes a workbook with a description of the typology, a training programme for professionals, and film material for educational purposes.

Researchers

Partners

  • Coalitie Erbij Rotterdam
  • City of Rotterdam
  • SOL Lerend Netwerk

(Co-)financing

City of Rotterdam, Programme Ouder en Wijzer (‘Older and Wiser’)

Resultaten

The workbook Interventieprofielen voor de aanpak van eenzaamheid en sociaal isolement bij ouderen (PDF; ‘Intervention profiles to tackle loneliness and social isolation among elderly people’) by Anja Machielse and Janneke Adriaans is produced by Coalitie Erbij Rotterdam, in collaboration with the City of Rotterdam and the University of Humanistic Studies (Rotterdam - Utrecht, February 2020).


Training programme of the Coalitie Erbij Rotterdam

Contact

Prof. Anja Machielse, A.Machielse@UvH.nl.

In this project a typology of intervention profiles has been developed, to find suitable interventions for elderly people who are lonely or socially isolated.