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GERO320 Thesis Statement and Outline
Lauren R. Albury
University of Maryland
GERO320 Psychosocial Aspects of Aging
Professor Lydia Manning
15 November 2023
Thesis statement
Loneliness and social isolation harm older persons’ mental and physical health. This research seeks to understand the causes of loneliness and social isolation in the elderly, assess their psychosocial effects, and provide therapies and community-based programs to improve their quality of life.
Outline
I. Introduction
· Definition of Loneliness and Social Isolation
· Loneliness: Subjective feeling of being alone
· Social Isolation: Objective lack of social engagement
· Overview of the prevalence among older adults
· Importance of addressing the issue for psychosocial well-being
II. Significance and Relevance of the Topic
· Discussion on the impact of loneliness and social isolation on mental and physical health
· Psychological consequences
· (Barnes et al., 2021; Donovan & Blazer, 2020; Newall & Menec, 2019; Su et al., 2022)
· Physical health consequences
· (CDC, 2020; National Institute on Aging, 2019)
· Statistics on affected populations, prevalence, and other relevant data
· Demographics of loneliness and social isolation
· (CDC, 2020; Newall & Menec, 2019)
· COVID-19 pandemic impact
· (Su et al., 2022)
· Historical context of how perceptions and awareness of the issue have evolved
· Changes in societal attitudes over time
· (National Institute on Aging, 2019)
III. Review of Current Research
· Overview of existing literature on loneliness and social isolation in older adults
· (Fakoya et al., 2020; Garcia & Jordan, 2022; Hwang et al., 2019)
· Theme 1: Psychological Effects
· Citations and key findings related to mental health consequences
· Depression, anxiety, and cognitive decline
· (Barnes et al., 2021; Donovan & Blazer, 2020; Su et al., 2022)
· Theme 2: Physical Health Consequences
· Citations and key findings related to the impact on physical health
· Heart disease, stroke, and increased mortality
· (CDC, 2020; National Institute on Aging, 2019)
· Theme 3: Social and Environmental Factors
· Citations and key findings related to the role of social and environmental factors
· Community-based programs and their impact
· (Fakoya et al., 2020; Hwang et al., 2019)
IV. Role of Public Policy
· Examination of existing public policies addressing loneliness and social isolation in older adults
· Policy examples and their effectiveness
· (CDC, 2020; WHO, 2020)
· Analysis of the effectiveness of current policies
· Gaps in current policies
· (Donovan & Blazer, 2020; WHO, 2020)
· Identification of gaps and areas for improvement in public policy
V. Proposal of an Evidence-Based Policy
· Description of a proposed policy to address loneliness and social isolation
· Integration of community-based programs
· (Fakoya et al., 2020; Hwang et al., 2019)
· Explanation of how the policy aims to benefit older adults
· Promoting social connections and mental well-being
· (Garcia & Jordan, 2022; Su et al., 2022)
· Supporting evidence from research and successful interventions
VI. Future Trends and Recommendations
· Anticipation of future trends in the context of aging populations
· Technological solutions for social connections
· (Garcia & Jordan, 2022)
· Recommendations for individuals, communities, and policymakers to mitigate loneliness and social isolation
· Promotion of intergenerational connections
· (Garcia & Jordan, 2022)
VII. Conclusion
· Summary of main points
· Emphasis on the importance of addressing loneliness and social isolation for the well-being of older adults
References
Barnes, T. L., MacLeod, S., Tkatch, R., Ahuja, M., Albright, L., Schaeffer, J. A., & Yeh, C. S. (2021). Cumulative effect of loneliness and social isolation on health outcomes among older adults.
Aging & Mental Health, 26(7), 1–8.
https://doi.org/10.1080/13607863.2021.1940096
CDC. (2020, May 26). Loneliness and Social Isolation Linked to Serious Health Conditions.
www.cdc.gov
.
https://www.cdc.gov/aging/publications/features/lonely-older-adults.html#:~:text=Older%20adults%20are%20at%20increased
Donovan, N. J., & Blazer, D. (2020). Social Isolation and Loneliness in Older Adults: Review and Commentary of a National Academies Report.
The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 28(12), 1233–1244.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jagp.2020.08.005
Fakoya, O. A., McCorry, N. K., & Donnelly, M. (2020). Loneliness and social isolation interventions for older adults: a scoping review of reviews.
BMC Public Health, 20(1).
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-020-8251-6
Garcia, E., & Jordan, R. (2022, May 3). Social Isolation & Loneliness for Older Adults.
ncoa.org; The National Council on Aging.
https://ncoa.org/article/navigating-social-isolation-and-loneliness-as-an-older-adult
Hwang, J., Wang, L., Siever, J., Medico, T. D., & Jones, C. A. (2019). Loneliness and social isolation among older adults in a community exercise program: a qualitative study.
Aging & Mental Health, 23(6), 736–742.
https://doi.org/10.1080/13607863.2018.1450835
National Institute on Aging. (2019). Social isolation, Loneliness in Older People Pose Health Risks.
National Institute on Aging.
https://www.nia.nih.gov/news/social-isolation-loneliness-older-people-pose-health-risks
Newall, N. E. G., & Menec, V. H. (2019). Loneliness and social isolation of older adults.
Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 36(3), 026540751774904.
https://doi.org/10.1177/0265407517749045
Su, Y., Rao, W., Li, M., Caron, G., D’Arcy, C., & Meng, X. (2022). Prevalence of loneliness and social isolation among older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
International Psychogeriatrics, 1–13.
https://doi.org/10.1017/s1041610222000199
WHO. (2020). Social isolation and loneliness among older people: advocacy brief.
www.who.int
.
https://www.who.int/publications-detail-redirect/9789240030749
