J Emerg Nurs. 2021 May;47(3):469-475. doi: 10.1016/j.jen.2020.12.009. Epub 2021 Mar 11.
Isolation and loneliness have become buzz words when discussing older adults during the coronavirus disease pandemic; yet, these are age-old problems. Both have been studied extensively, yet there currently is no rapid or succinct tool that can be used in the emergency department to screen for either, or a consensus of evidence-based ways to correct these issues. This is of concern because both loneliness and social isolation have been linked to poor health. Poor health, in turn, can lead to worse isolation and loneliness. These health problems may lead to the older adult seeking care in the emergency department where screening and initial treatment could be initiated. Suggestions for questions that emergency nurses can ask to identify an older adult who is lonely or suffers from social isolation, as well as steps to consider when encountering the older adult with complaints of loneliness and/or social isolation, are provided, with the realization that these are only the first steps of many that would need to be taken. The purpose of this article is to bring forward updated information that discusses loneliness and social isolation in older adults, a timely priority during the coronavirus disease pandemic and often listed as a factor in older adult deaths. A review of relevant screening tools for use in the emergency department are provided.
在讨论冠状病毒病大流行期间的老年人时，“隔离”和“孤独”已成为流行词；然而，这些问题由来已久。两者都已经被广泛研究过，但目前在急诊科没有快速或简洁的工具可以用于筛查这两者，也没有基于证据的共识方法来纠正这些问题。这令人担忧，因为孤独和社会隔离都与健康状况不佳有关。反过来，健康状况不佳又会导致更严重的隔离和孤独。这些健康问题可能会导致老年人到急诊科寻求治疗，在那里可以开始进行筛查和初步治疗。本文提供了一些建议，供急诊护士询问以识别孤独或遭受社会隔离的老年人的问题，以及在遇到抱怨孤独和/或社会隔离的老年人时应考虑的步骤，认识到这只是需要采取的许多步骤中的第一步。本文的目的是提出有关老年人孤独和社会隔离的最新信息，这是冠状病毒病大流行期间的一个及时重点问题，并且经常被列为老年人死亡的一个因素。还提供了一些可在急诊科使用的相关筛查工具的回顾。
