Social Isolation in Older Adults

2022-2023

The growing prevalence of social isolation in the United States was recognized as a risk to public health years before the COVID pandemic. IMPH, in partnership with the SC Department on Aging, convened a taskforce from 2022 to 2023 comprised of stakeholders from across South Carolina to collaboratively identify approaches to address social isolation in older adults.

In June 2023, IMPH released a taskforce report: Addressing Social Isolation in Older Adults as a Determinant of Health, which includes state-specific recommendations to reduce social isolation in older adults. To continue the work, the Office for the Study of Aging at the Arnold School of Public Health at the University of South Carolina formed an inclusive, ongoing coalition titled South Carolina’s Operation to Confront Social Isolation and Loneliness (SOCIAL Aging).

Learn more about the coAlition

MISSION & ACTION

The Institute, in partnership with the South Carolina Department on Aging, is convening South Carolina experts and those with lived experiences to work collaboratively to create state-specific recommendations to reduce social isolation in older adults.

The Social Isolation in Older Adults Taskforce, launched in October 2022, is chaired by former Representative MaryGail Douglas.

DEFINITIONS

Social Isolation: objectively being alone, having few relationships or infrequent social contact.

Loneliness: subjectively feeling alone from a discrepancy between one’s desired level of connection and one’s actual level.

National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine 2020. Social Isolation and Loneliness in Older Adults: Opportunities for the Health Care System. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/25663.

Steering Committee

The Social Isolation in Older Adults Taskforce is chaired by MaryGail Douglas, former South Carolina Representative. MaryGail served as the Director of the local Council on Aging from 1980-1997 and President of the South Carolina Association of Council on Aging Directors from 1988-1989. In 1995, Representative Douglas was selected as a Charter Member of the Eldercare Trust Fund and served in that capacity for three years. While serving as a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives from the 41st District from 2013-2017, MaryGail was the voice for those she represented. Representative Douglas has always sought out credible information to make informed decisions to support the people of our state in an honorable way.

The Social Isolation in Older Adults Taskforce is guided by a ten member Steering Committee, including state leaders and subject matter experts.

To learn about our taskforce team, view the Social Isolation in Older Adults Taskforce Member List.

Members of the Steering Committee

Ann Lewis

Chief Executive Officer, CareSouth

Charmaine Fuller Cooper, MPA

State Director, AARP

Megan Byers, LMSW

Co-Director, Office for the Study of Aging, University of South Carolina Arnold School of Public Health

Jessica Seel, MPH

Director of Behavioral Health Initiatives and Workforce, South Carolina Office of Rural Health

Lori Phillips, MPH, MCHES

Director, Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity Prevention, South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control

Shelia Cotten, PhD

Associate Vice President for Research Development, Clemson University

Andrew Boozer

Executive Director, Senior Resources, Inc.

Jennifer Brewton, LMSW

Caregiver and Alzheimer’s Resource Divisional Manager and Family Caregiver Support Program Manager, South Carolina Department on Aging

Rowan Goodrich, MS, RD, LD

Nutritionist, South Carolina Department on Aging

Elexias Cotton MSW, MHA

Practice Compliance Coordinator-Adult Advocacy Division, South Carolina Department of Social Services

In August 2017, the work of the ILC was folded into the SC Behavioral Health Coalition (BHC) and their leadership team. IMPH continues to support the BHC and participates on the Executive Leadership Team, the Core Leadership Team and each committee of the BHC.

Contact

For more information, contact Justina Siuba

Social Isolation in Older Adults

MISSION & ACTION

DEFINITIONS

Contact

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