Loneliness Toolkit

Loneliness Screening in Primary Care and Social Prescribing to Address Loneliness and Social Isolation Faced by Older Adults

This work was supported by a generous gift from the Oscar Rennebohm Foundation.

We aim to improve the well-being of older adults by:

1. Educating clinicians about the health risks of loneliness and social isolation.
2. Developing ways to integrate screening into busy clinics.
3. Testing the use of social prescribing to reduce loneliness and social isolation. Our work will occur in primary care clinics, where people get most of their healthcare.

This pilot project can serve as the basis for a larger, well controlled research study to demonstrate the effectiveness of social prescribing.

This toolkit is intended to educate clinicians about the health risks of loneliness and social isolation, and as an introduction to the concept of social prescribing.

Read Executive Summary – Health Impacts of Loneliness (PDF)

Infographics for Use in Clinics

For Clinicians

• Clinician Fact Sheet Social Prescribing (PDF)
• Clinician Fact Sheet – Text Only (Word)

Health Impacts of Loneliness

• Loneliness Health Impacts (PDF)
• Loneliness Health Impacts – Text Only (Word)

Why Screen for Loneliness?

• Loneliness Screening in Primary Care (PDF)
• Loneliness Screening in Primary Care – Text Only (Word)

What is Social Prescribing?

• Social Prescribing (PDF)
• Social Prescribing – Text Only (Word)

Overcoming Barriers

• Tips to Tailored Social Prescribing (PDF)
• Tips to Tailored Social Prescribing – Text Only (Word)

Patient Perceptions

• What do Older Adults Think About Loneliness Screening (PDF)
• What do Older Adults Think About Loneliness Screening – Text Only (Word)

DFMCH Forum Series Video

Addressing Loneliness and Social Isolation in Primary Care

Papers For Publication

• Practical Tips for Addressing Loneliness in Primary Care