On January 10th, 2024, the Center for Healthy Aging at The New York Academy of Medicine (NYAM), with support from The John A. Hartford Foundation, hosted more than 70 participants, both in person and virtually, from across the U.S. to discuss collaborative action that will improve care of older adults by addressing social isolation and loneliness.
The attendees represented a wide range of sectors, including academia, healthcare, philanthropy, business, government, nonprofit, and social service organizations. The goal of the convening was to guide The John A. Hartford Foundation in pursuing effective interventions to address social isolation and loneliness among older adults. Discussions were grounded in two key reports: the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, Social Isolation and Loneliness in Older Adults: Opportunities for the Healthcare System (NASEM, 2020) and the U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory, Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation: The U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory on the Healing Effects of Social Connection and Community (Murthy, 2023).
We are pleased to share a convening report that summarizes the powerful discussions and numerous ideas generated at this event. Beyond informing The John A. Hartford Foundation’s efforts to pursue effective interventions for social isolation and loneliness, we anticipate that this report will also generate ideas for other funders, government agencies, businesses, and nonprofit organizations.
Together, we can reverse course on the growing rates of social isolation and loneliness among older adults.