Why is it likely that future generations of older people will suffer from social isolation more than older people today?

1. Campaign to End Loneliness. Loneliness is an international issue. 2013. Available from: https://www.campaigntoendloneliness.org/blog/loneliness-international-issue/. [cited 2019 May 28]

   Google Scholar 

2. Valtorta N, Hanratty B. Loneliness, isolation and the health of older adults: do we need a new research agenda? J R Soc Med Suppl. 2012;105(12):518–22.

   Google Scholar 

3. Landeiro F, Barrows P, Nuttall Musson E, Gray A, Leal J. Reducing social isolation and loneliness in older people: a systematic review protocol. BMJ Open. 2016;7(5):e013778 Available from: http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=PMC5623425. [cited 2019 May 28].

   Google Scholar 

4. Holt-Lunstad J, Smith TB, Layton JB. Social Relationships and Mortality Risk: A Meta-analytic Review. PLoS Med. 2010;7(1):e1000316 Available from:https://dx.plos.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1000316. [cited 2019 May 28].

   PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

5. Luanaigh CÓ, Lawlor BA. Loneliness and the health of older people. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2008;23(12):1213–21 Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18537197. [cited 2019 may 28].

   PubMed  Google Scholar 

6. McWhirter B. Loneliness: A Review of Current Literature, With Implications for Counseling and Research. J Couns Dev. 1990;68(4):417–22. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.1556-6676.1990.tb02521.x.

   Article  Google Scholar 

7. Social Care Institute for Excellence S. SCIE: At a glance 60: Preventing loneliness and social isolation among older people. 2012. Available from: https://www.scie.org.uk/publications/ataglance/ataglance60.asp. [cited 2019 May 28]

   Google Scholar 

8. Age UK. Safeguarding the convoy. A call to action from the campaign to end loneliness 2011; Available from: https://campaigntoendloneliness.org/wp-content/uploads/downloads/2011/07/safeguarding-the-convey_-_a-call-to-action-from-the-campaign-to-end-loneliness.pdf

   Google Scholar 

9. Dickens AP, Richards SH, Greaves CJ, Campbell JL. Interventions targeting social isolation in older people: a systematic review. BMC Public Health. 2011;11(1):647 Available from: http://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1471-2458-11-647. [cited 2019 May 28].

   PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

10. Cattan M, White M, Bond J, Learmouth A. Preventing social isolation and loneliness among older people: a systematic review of health promotion interventions. Ageing Soc. 2005;25(01):41–67 Available from: http://www.journals.cambridge.org/abstract_S0144686X04002594[cited 2019 May 28].

    Google Scholar 

11. Gardiner C, Geldenhuys G, Gott M. Interventions to reduce social isolation and loneliness among older people: an integrative review. Health Soc Care Community. 2018;26(2):147–57 Available from: http://doi.wiley.com/10.1111/hsc.12367. [cited 2019 May 28].

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

12. Bernard S. Loneliness and Social isolation among older people in North Yorkshire project commissioned by North Yorkshire older People’s partnership board executive summary. 2013; Available from: http://eprints.whiterose.ac.uk/77336/1/Lone.pdf

    Google Scholar 

13. United Nations. World Population Ageing, vol. 164; 2015. Available from: www.un.org/.../population/.../WPA2009/WPA2009

    Google Scholar 

14. Holt-Lunstad J, Smith T, Baker M, Harris T, Stephenson D. Loneliness and Social Isolation as Risk Factors for Mortality. Perspect Psychol Sci. 2015;10(2):227–37 Available from: http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1745691614568352. [cited 2019 Jun 7].

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

15. Aldre Sagen. Eat together and create new communities. 2018. Available from: https://www.aeldresagen.dk/om-aeldresagen/lige-nu/sammenmed. [cited 2019 May 28]

    Google Scholar 

16. Australian Coalition to End Loneliness. About Australian Coalition to End Loneliness. 2017. Available from: http://www.endloneliness.com.au/about/. [cited 2019 May 28]

    Google Scholar 

17. ALONE. Have a Laugh for Loneliness with ALONE this Christmas. 2018. Available from: http://alone.ie/have-a-laugh-for-loneliness-with-alone-this-christmas/. [cited 2019 May 29]

    Google Scholar 

18. Davidson S, Rossall P. Evidence Review: Loneliness in Later Life. White Pap. 2015:1–29 Available from: https://www.ageuk.org.uk/globalassets/age-uk/documents/reports-and-publications/reports-and-briefings/health%2D%2Dwellbeing/rb_june15_lonelines_in_later_life_evidence_review.pdf. [cited 2019 May 28].

19. Harvey B, Walsh K. Loneliness and ageing: Ireland, North and South; 2016. p. 1–10. Available from: https://www.publichealth.ie/sites/default/files/documents/files/Loneliness and ageing Ireland, North and South Summary final.pdf

    Google Scholar 

20. Merrifield N. NICE issues guidance to tackle loneliness in older people. 2015. Available from: https://www.nursingtimes.net/roles/older-people-nurses/nice-issues-guidance-to-tackle-loneliness-in-older-people/7001293.article. [cited 2019 May 28]

    Google Scholar 

21. Social Care Institute for Excellence S. Tackling loneliness and social isolation: the role of commissioners. 2018. Available from: https://www.scie.org.uk/prevention/connecting/loneliness-social-isolation. [cited 2019 May 28]

    Google Scholar 

22. Trottier A. Guidelines For Addressing Loneliness - Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association. 2018. Available from: https://www.ccpa-accp.ca/guidelines-addressing-loneliness/. [cited 2019 May 28]

23. Humana. Are you feeling lonely? You’re not alone. Resources to help fight loneliness & social isolation. 2017. Available from: https://populationhealth.humana.com/wp-content/themes/humana/docs/Loneliness-Toolkit.pdf. [cited 2019 May 28]

24. Keller-Allen C, Li R. Seminar on loneliness and Social isolation: meeting summary. 2015; Available from: http://www.tivityhealth.com/emails/summit2018/06-Seminar-on-Loneliness-and-Social-Isolation.pdf

    Google Scholar 

25. Jopling K. Promising approaches to reducing loneliness and isolation in later life. 2015; Available from: https://www.campaigntoendloneliness.org/wp-content/uploads/Promising-approaches-to-reducing-loneliness-and-isolation-in-later-life.pdf

    Google Scholar 

26. Cattan M, White M. Developing evidence based health promotion for older people: A systematic review and survey of health promotion interventions targeting social isolation and loneliness among older people. Internet J Heal Promot. 1998; Available from: https://www.iuhpe.org/rhpeo/ijhp-articles/1998/13/index.htm. [cited 2019 May 28].

27. Peters MDJ, Godfrey CM, Khalil H, McInerney P, Parker D, Soares CB. Guidance for conducting systematic scoping reviews. Int J Evid Based Healthc. 2015;13(3):141–6 Available from: http://content.wkhealth.com/linkback/openurl?sid=WKPTLP:landingpage&an=01787381-201509000-00005. [cited 2019 May 28].

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

28. Arksey H, O’Malley L. Scoping studies: towards a methodological framework. Int J Soc Res Methodol. 2005;8(1):19–32 Available from: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/1364557032000119616. [cited 2019 May 28].

    Google Scholar 

29. Levac D, Colquhoun H, O’Brien KK. Scoping studies: advancing the methodology. Implement Sci. 2010;5(1):69 Available from: http://implementationscience.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1748-5908-5-69. [cited 2019 May 28].

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

30. Boland A, Cherry M, Dickson R. Doing a systematic review: a student’s guide. 2nd ed. London: Sage; 2017.

    Google Scholar 

31. Masi CM, Chen H-Y, Hawkley LC, Cacioppo JT. A meta-analysis of interventions to reduce loneliness. Personal Soc Psychol Rev. 2011;15(3):219–66 Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20716644. [cited 2019 May 28].

    Google Scholar 

32. Chipps J, Jarvis MA, Ramlall S. The effectiveness of e-Interventions on reducing social isolation in older persons: A systematic review of systematic reviews. J Telemed Telecare. 2017;23(10):817–27 Available from: http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1357633X17733773. [cited 2019 May 28].

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

33. Findlay R. Interventions to reduce social isolation amongst older people: where is the evidence? Ageing Soc. 2003;23(5):647–58 Available from: https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0144686X03001296/type/journal_article. [cited 2019 May 28].

    Google Scholar 

34. Poscia A, Stojanovic J, La Milia DI, Duplaga M, Grysztar M, Moscato U, et al. Interventions targeting loneliness and social isolation among the older people: An update systematic review. Exp Gerontol. 2017;102:133–44 Available from: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S053155651730520X. [cited 2019 May 28].

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

35. Morris ME, Adair B, Ozanne E, Kurowski W, Miller KJ, Pearce AJ, et al. Smart technologies to enhance social connectedness in older people who live at home. Aust J Ageing. 2014;33(3):142–52 Available from: http://doi.wiley.com/10.1111/ajag.12154. [cited 2019 May 28].

    Google Scholar 

36. Franck L, Molyneux N, Parkinson L. Systematic review of interventions addressing social isolation and depression in aged care clients. Qual Life Res. 2016;25(6):1395–407 Available from: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s11136-015-1197-y. [cited 2019 May 28].

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

37. Y-RR C, Schulz PJ. The Effect of Information Communication Technology Interventions on Reducing Social Isolation in the Elderly: A Systematic Review. J Med Internet Res. 2016;18(1):1–11 Available from: http://www.jmir.org/2016/1/e18/. [cited 2019 May 28].

    Google Scholar 

38. SMS E, Neville C, Scott T. The effectiveness of group reminiscence therapy for loneliness, anxiety and depression in older adults in long-term care: A systematic review. Geriatr Nurs (Minneap). 2015;36(5):372–80 Available from: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0197457215002207?via%3Dihub. [cited 2019 May 28].

    Google Scholar 

39. Medical Advisory Secretariat. Social isolation in community-dwelling seniors: an evidence-based analysis. Ont Health Technol Assess Ser. 2008;8(5):1–49 Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23074510. [cited 2019 may 28].

    PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

40. Choi M, Kong S, Jung D. Computer and internet interventions for loneliness and depression in older adults: a meta-analysis. Healthc Inform Res. 2012;18(3):191–8 Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23115742. [cited 2019 May 28].

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

41. Milligan C, Dowrick C, Payne S, Hanratty B, Irwin P, Neary D, et al. Men’s sheds and other gendered interventions for older men: improving health and wellbeing through social activity a systematic review and scoping of the evidence base a report for the Liverpool-Lancaster collaborative by. 2013; Available from: http://envejecimiento.csic.es/documentos/documentos/lancaster-ac-uk-men-in-sheds2013-02-2015.pdf. [cited 2019 June 4].

42. Andersson L. Loneliness research and interventions: A review of the literature. Aging Ment Health. 1998;2(4):264–74 Available from: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13607869856506. [cited 2019 May 28].

    Google Scholar 

43. Perese E, Wolf M. Combating loneliness among persons with severe mental illness: social network interventions’ characteristics, effectiveness and applicability. Issues Ment Health Nurs. 2005;26(6):591–609 Available from: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01612840590959425. [cited 2019 May 28].

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

44. Rook K. Promoting social bonding: Strategies for helping the lonely and socially isolated. Am Psychol. 1984;39(12):1389–407 Available from: http://content.apa.org/journals/amp/39/12/1389. [cited 2019 May 28].

    Google Scholar 

45. Cacioppo S, Grippo AJ, London S, Goossens L, Cacioppo JT. Loneliness: Clinical Import and Interventions. Perspect Psychol Sci. 2015;10(2):238–49 Available from: http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1745691615570616. [cited 2019 May 28].

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

46. Grenade L, Boldy D. Social isolation and loneliness among older people: issues and future challenges in community and residential settings. Aust Heal Rev. 2008;32(3):468 Available from: http://www.publish.csiro.au/?paper=AH080468. [cited 2019 May 28].

    Google Scholar 

47. Oliver DP, Demiris G, Hensel B. A promising technology to reduce social isolation of nursing home residents. J Nurs Care Qual. 2006;21(4):302–5 Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16985398. [cited 2019 May 28].

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

48. Age UK. Technology and Older People Evidence Review. 2011; Available from: https://www.ageuk.org.uk/Documents/EN-GB/ For-professionals/Research/Evidence_Review_Technology.pdf?dtrk=true.

    Google Scholar 

49. Age UK. Loneliness and isolation evidence review. 2011; Available from: https://www.ageuk.org.uk/documents/en-gb/for-professionals/evidence_review_loneliness_and_isolation.pdf?dtrk=true

    Google Scholar 

50. Centre for Reviews and Dissemination. Interventions for loneliness and social isolation. 2014; Available from: https://www.york.ac.uk/media/crd/Loneliness%20and%20social%20isolation.pdf

    Google Scholar 

51. Hagan R, Manktelow R, Taylor BJ, Mallett J. Reducing loneliness amongst older people: a systematic search and narrative review. Aging Ment Health. 2014;18(6):683–93 Available from: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13607863.2013.875122. [cited 2019 May 28].

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

52. Wilson NJ, Cordier R. A narrative review of Men’s Sheds literature: reducing social isolation and promoting men’s health and well-being. Health Soc Care Community. 2013;21(5):451–63 Available from: http://doi.wiley.com/10.1111/hsc.12019 .[cited 2019 May 28].

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

53. Cohen-Mansfield J, Perach R. Interventions for Alleviating Loneliness among Older Persons: A Critical Review. Am J Heal Promot. 2015;29(3):e109–25 Available from: http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.4278/ajhp.130418-LIT-182. [cited 2019 May 28].

    Google Scholar 

54. Hawkley LC, Cacioppo JT. Loneliness Matters: A Theoretical and Empirical Review of Consequences and Mechanisms. Ann Behav Med. 2010;40(2):218–27 Available from: https://academic.oup.com/abm/article/40/2/218-227/4569527. [cited 2019 May 28].

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

55. Centre for Policy on Ageing. Loneliness – evidence of the effectiveness of interventions. 2014; Available from: http://www.cpa.org.uk/information/reviews/CPA-Rapid-Review-Loneliness.pdf

    Google Scholar 

56. Raymond E, Sevigny A, Tourigny A, Vezina A, Verreault R, Guilbert AC. On the track of evaluated programmes targeting the social participation of seniors: a typology proposal. Ageing Soc. 2013;33(2):267–96 Available from: https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0144686X11001152/type/journal_article. [cited 2019 May 29].

    Google Scholar 

57. Rook K, Peplau L. Perspectives on helping the lonely. In: Peplau LA, Perlman D, editors. Loneliness: a sourcebook of current theory, research and therapy. New York: Wiley; 1982. p. 351–78.

    Google Scholar 

58. Biegel D. The application of network theory and research to the field of aging. In J.W. Sauer and R.T. coward (Eds.), Social support networks and the care of the elderly. Theory, research and practice. New York: Springer Publishing Company; 1985.

    Google Scholar 

59. Cruise S, Kee F. Early key findings from a study of older people in Northern Ireland - The NICOLA Study 2017;Available from: https://www.qub.ac.uk/sites/NICOLA/FileStore/Filetoupload,783215,en.pdf

    Google Scholar 

60. Hand C, McColl MA, Birtwhistle R, Kotecha JA, Batchelor D, Barber KH. Social isolation in older adults who are frequent users of primary care services. Can Fam Physician. 2014;60, e322, e324–9(6) Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24925967. [cited 2019 May 28].

61. Nicholson NR. A Review of Social Isolation: An Important but Underassessed Condition in Older Adults. J Prim Prev. 2012;33(2–3):137–52 Available from: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10935-012-0271-2. [cited 2019 May 28].

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

62. Nicholson NR. Social isolation in older adults: an evolutionary concept analysis. J Adv Nurs. 2009;65(6):1342–52 Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19291185. [cited 2019 May 28].

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

63. Griffiths H. Social isolation and loneliness in the UK with a focus on the use of technology to tackle these conditions. 2017. Available from: https://iotuk.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Social-Isolation-and-Loneliness-Landscape-UK.pdf. [cited 2019 May 28]

    Google Scholar 

64. Grant C. Loneliness and social isolation in older people. 2016. Available from: https://www.lgiu.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Loneliness-and-social-isolation.pdf. [cited 2019 May 28]

    Google Scholar 

65. Shrestha M. Activities and interventions for alleviating loneliness among elderly. 2017; Available from: https://www.theseus.fi/bitstream/handle/10024/130102/Shrestha_Mandira.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

    Google Scholar 

66. Victor CR, Scambler SJ, Bond J. The social world of older people: understanding loneliness and social isolation in later life. Maidenhead: Open University Press; 2009. p. 262.

    Google Scholar 

67. Stanley M, Moyle W, Ballantyne A, Jaworski K, Corlis M, Oxlade D, et al. ‘Nowadays you don’t even see your neighbours’: loneliness in the everyday lives of older Australians. Health Soc Care Commun. 2010;18(4):407–14.

    Google Scholar 

68. Collins E. Preventing social isolation and loneliness in older people. 2014. Available from: https://www.iriss.org.uk/sites/default/files/iriss-insights-25.pdf. [cited 2019 May 28]

    Google Scholar 

69. Mills S. Loneliness: Do Interventions Help? Rural Theol. 2017;15(2):113–23 Available from: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14704994.2017.1373474. [cited 2019 May 28].

    Google Scholar 

70. Victor C, Mansfield L, Kay T, Daykin N, Lane J, Duffy L, et al. An overview of reviews: the effectiveness of interventions to address loneliness at all stages of the. 2018. Available from: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.php? RecordID=97293

    Google Scholar 

71. National Institute of Standards and Technology. National Commission on Forensic Science: Inconsistent Terminology. Available from: https://www.justice.gov/archives/ncfs/page/file/641361/download. [cited 2019 June 4].

72. Craig P, Dieppe P, Macintyre S, Michie S, Nazareth I, Petticrew M. Developing and evaluating complex interventions: the new Medical Research Council guidance. BMJ. 2008;337:a1655 Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18824488. [cited 2019 Jun 4].

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

73. Hoffmann TC, Glasziou PP, Boutron I, Milne R, Perera R, Moher D, et al. Better reporting of interventions: template for intervention description and replication (TIDieR) checklist and guide. BMJ. 2014;348:g1687 Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24609605. [cited 2019 May 28].

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

74. Schulz KF, Altman DG, Moher D. CONSORT 2010 statement: updated guidelines for reporting parallel group randomised trials. BMJ. 2010;340:c332 Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20332509. [cited 2019 May 29].

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

75. Chan A-W, Tetzlaff JM, Altman DG, Laupacis A, Gøtzsche PC, Krleža-Jerić K, et al. SPIRIT 2013 Statement: Defining Standard Protocol Items for Clinical Trials. Ann Intern Med. 2013;158(3):200–7 Available from: http://annals.org/article.aspx?doi=10.7326/0003-4819-158-3-201302050-00583. [cited 2019 May 29].

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

76. Wong G, Greenhalgh R, Pawson R. What is a realist review and what can it do for me? An introduction to realist synthesis. 2009; Available from: http://pram.mcgill.ca/i/Wong_G_JUNE09_what_is_a_realist_review_presentation.pdf

    Google Scholar 

77. Mann F, Bone JK, Lloyd-Evans B, Frerichs J, Pinfold V, Ma R, et al. A life less lonely: the state of the art in interventions to reduce loneliness in people with mental health problems. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 2017;52(6):627–38 Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28528389. [cited 2019 May 29].

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

78. Wenger GC, Burholt V. Changes in levels of social isolation and loneliness among older people in a rural area: a twenty-year longitudinal study. Can J Aging. 2004;23(2):115–27 Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15334812. [cited 2019 May 29].

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

79. SOPHIE Newsletter. An introduction to realist reviews. 2013; Available from: http://www.sophie-project.eu/pdf/realistreview.pdf

    Google Scholar 

80. Jagosh J. Realist synthesis for Public Health: Building an ontologically deep understanding of how programs work, for whom, and in which contexts. Annu Rev Public Heal. 2019;40:127–46 Available from: https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-publhealth-. [cited 2019 Nov 7].

    Google Scholar 

81. Harris K. Building sport for development practitioners’ capacity for undertaking monitoring and evaluation–reflections on a training programme building capacity in realist evaluation. Int J Sport Policy Polit. 2018;10(4):795–814 Available from: https://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?journalCode=risp20. [cited 2019 Nov 7].

    Google Scholar 

82. Lorenc T, Felix L, Petticrew M, Melendez-Torres GJ, Thomas J, Thomas J, et al. Meta-analysis, complexity, and heterogeneity: a qualitative interview study of researchers’ methodological values and practices. Syst Rev. 2016;5(1):192 Available from: http://systematicreviewsjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13643-016-0366-6. [cited 2019 May 29].

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

Page 2

PRISMA flow diagram illustrating the search strategy. This flow diagram provides the phases of article identification and selection, which resulted in the identification of 33 articles that were deemed eligible for inclusion in the review. Prepared in accordance with Tricco AC, et al. PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR): Checklist and Explanation. Annals of Internal Medicine. 2018. pp. 467–473. doi: https://doi.org/10.7326/M18-0850