Feb. 23, 2021
AUSTIN, Texas – Social isolation arising from COVID-19 has sparked significant mental health issues, resulting in a jump from 1 in 10 adults reporting anxiety or depressive disorder symptoms before the pandemic to 1 in 3 adults more recently. But new research published today in
JAMA Psychiatry shows that loneliness, depression, anxiety and overall mental health among older people can be improved through an empathy-focused telephone program.
Known as “Sunshine Calls,” the four-week program was conducted as a randomized controlled trial of 240 mostly homebound, older adults. Lay callers engaged in telephone conversations with program participants; about half lived alone, and all reported having at least one chronic health condition. Compared with those who didn’t receive calls, recipients reported an average improvement of more than 1 point out of a 7-point standard scale in their feelings of loneliness, equaling a 16% difference. The number of adults who wer
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Social isolation arising from COVID-19 has sparked significant mental health issues, resulting in a jump from 1 in 10 adults reporting anxiety or depressive disorder symptoms before the pandemic to 1 in 3 adults more recently. But new research published today in JAMA Psychiatry shows that loneliness, depression, anxiety and overall mental health among older people can be improved through an empathy-focused telephone program.
Known as “Sunshine Calls,” the four-week program was conducted as a randomized controlled trial of 240 mostly homebound, older adults. Lay callers engaged in telephone conversations with program participants; about half lived alone, and all reported having at least one chronic health condition. Compared with those who didn’t receive calls, recipients reported an average improvement of more than 1 point out of a 7-point standard scale in their feelings of loneliness, equaling a 16% difference. The number of adults who were at least mildly anxious at