Nicholson Nicholas R, Shellman Juliette
Quinnipiac University School Nursing, Hamden, Connecticut 06518, USA.
Res Gerontol Nurs. 2013 Apr;6(2):89-97. doi: 10.3928/19404921-20130110-01. Epub 2013 Jan 17.
Older adults reporting social isolation are at increased risk for numerous negative health outcomes, including depressive symptoms, decreased quality of life, and cardiovascular disease. The purpose of this study was to test the effects of a university student model of care intervention offered through the CARELINK program on social isolation in a sample of community-dwelling older adults (N = 56). Older adults in the comparison group, who had not yet received the CARELINK program, were nearly 12 times more likely to be socially isolated. Results indicate the empowerment intervention offered through the CARELINK program had positive effects on reducing social isolation in older adults. The CARELINK program has important implications for nursing as it provides an uncomplicated and inexpensive intervention to decrease social isolation for older adults in the community. Given the sample selection limitation in this study, a randomized controlled trial is warranted. Future research should examine specific aspects of the CARELINK program and the amount each aspect affects social isolation.
报告存在社交隔离的老年人出现多种负面健康结果的风险增加，包括抑郁症状、生活质量下降和心血管疾病。本研究的目的是测试通过CARELINK项目提供的大学生护理模式干预对社区居住的老年人样本（N = 56）社交隔离的影响。尚未接受CARELINK项目的对照组老年人出现社交隔离的可能性几乎高出近12倍。结果表明，通过CARELINK项目提供的赋权干预对减少老年人社交隔离有积极作用。CARELINK项目对护理具有重要意义，因为它提供了一种简单且廉价的干预措施，以减少社区中老年人的社交隔离。鉴于本研究的样本选择限制，有必要进行一项随机对照试验。未来的研究应考察CARELINK项目的具体方面以及每个方面对社交隔离的影响程度。
