PA Council on Aging to Host Pennsylvania's First-Ever Social Isolation Symposium March 23-24

Harrisburg, PA - March 19, 2021 - Continuing its work on the growing issue of social isolation among older adults, the Pennsylvania Council on Aging (PCoA) announced it will host a Social Isolation Symposium to present information and resources to individuals who work with older adults, including caregivers, health care staff, stakeholders and the public. Titled "Directions for Connections," this first-of-its-kind event in Pennsylvania will feature nationally known speakers focusing on the impact of social isolation, and how to get older adults engaged to ensure their continued health and wellbeing.

The two-day virtual event on March 23 and March 24 will offer attendees a chance to participate in more than a dozen workshop sessions or select those of particular interest. Among the featured speakers will be Patrick Arbore, Ed.D, founder and director of the Center for Elderly Suicide Prevention and Grief Related Services (CESP), who will discuss loneliness and social isolation and the urban minority elderly; Im Ja Choi, founder and CEO of Penn Asian Senior Services (PASSi), who will present how to virtually connect with Asian Pacific American older adults; and Dr. Barry Jacobs, a noted clinical psychologist and family therapist, who will speak about engaging, supporting and empowering family caregivers. Additional session topics will include how to prevent social isolation among LGBTQ older adults; supporting seniors to stay healthy during a pandemic; using partnerships and collaborations to reduce social isolation; staying social in a socially distanced world; and getting seniors online.

"Social isolation is strongly correlated to poor health, increased mortality rates and dementia. With the forced isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic, PCoA has been dedicated to looking at how we can intercept older adults and offer programming that embraces the daily realities of the pandemic but also provides a roadmap for where we go on this issue after the pandemic," said PCoA Executive Director Faith Haeussler. "PCoA is excited to bring together such a variety of expert voices around this topic and I thank the PCoA's Social Isolation Task Force and Task Force Chair Janice Cameron for leading research and exploration of this issue that helped shape this unique event. We hope this exchange of ideas and resources will fuel even more creativity, collaboration and ultimately more connection for older adults."

"Social isolation has been one of the top concerns for the Pennsylvania Department of Aging before and since the COVID-19 pandemic began. We have worked to gain a deeper understanding of the problem and created effective interventions through collaborations with our stakeholders and partners. We were able to equip some long-term care facilities with communication devices for residents to connect with loved ones, establish a pilot program with Slippery Rock University students and faculty to engage with seniors to prevent isolation, and offer assistive technology devices to older adults living with a disability," Secretary of Aging Robert Torres said. "I would like to thank the PCoA for putting together this symposium, which will offer great information for attendees to use to further assist with preventing social isolation among older Pennsylvanians."

In April 2020, PCoA released the findings of a statewide survey it conducted to assess the status, needs and interests of older adults during the COVID-19 outbreak. Topics included food access, public risk factors, and social connection. Conducted in both English and Spanish, the brief online survey drew more than 3,700 responses from older adults across Pennsylvania. The survey included questions on how often the older adult communicates with people outside their home, technologies they are using to connect, how often they are leaving their home during this pandemic and their primary reasons for doing so. Findings indicated interest among older adults, especially those who live alone, in connecting more, and in using technology to get services, connect with loved ones, attend religious services and enrich their overall lives.

The Pennsylvania Council on Aging serves as an advocate for older individuals and advises the Governor and the Department of Aging on planning, coordination, and delivery of services to older individuals. The Council's 21 volunteer members, the majority of whom are required to be age 60 or older, are nominated by the Governor and approved by the Senate. Members of the Council also serve as chairpersons for five regional councils with more than 70 volunteers, which meet quarterly. These regional councils gather information and insights on local needs and service delivery and report their findings to the Council. They also serve as resources for research and community outreach efforts.

People interested in attending can view the discussion topics and sign up here.