The NIHR Policy and Research Unit on Older People and Frailty have published research on Covid-19 Remotely Delivered Interventions to Reduce Social Isolation and Loneliness.

The NIHR Policy and Research Unit on Older People and Frailty set out to review the evidence on interventions that seek to ameliorate loneliness or social isolation, or both, through remote interventions. Against a backdrop of mandatory social distancing, our aims were to understand how remote interventions may be effectively delivered. 

Research findings

• Supported video-communication interventions were regarded positively by older adults, with some evidence of decreases in feelings of loneliness and increases in social support scores.
• Telephone contact showed reduced feelings of loneliness and social isolation
• Online discussion groups and forums showed mixed results.
• Social networking sites have the potential to reduce loneliness in older adults, but the evidence here is weak.
• Multi-tool interventions included in this review demonstrated significant decreases in loneliness, but not always increases in social support.

Read the report on the NIHR wesbite.