Loneliness and Social Isolation Toolkit
Loneliness Screening and Social Prescribing in Primary Care to Address Loneliness and Social Isolation Faced by Older Adults
This work was supported by a generous gift from the Oscar Rennebohm Foundation.
We aim to improve the well-being of older adults by:
- Educating clinicians about the health risks of loneliness and social isolation.
- Developing ways to integrate screening into busy clinics.
- Testing the use of social prescribing to reduce loneliness and social isolation. Our work will occur in primary care clinics, where people get most of their health care.
This toolkit is intended to educate clinicians about the health risks of loneliness and social isolation and serves as an introduction to the concept of social prescribing.
Infographics for Use in Clinics
For Clinicians
Health Impacts of Loneliness
Why Screen for Loneliness?
What is Social Prescribing?
- Social Prescribing (PDF)
- Social Prescribing – Text Only (Word)
Overcoming Barriers
Patient Perceptions
Download Toolkit
DFMCH Forum Series Video
Addressing Loneliness and Social Isolation in Primary Care
Additional Information
Mary Henningfield, PhD, Talks Social Prescribing with Detroit Public Radio
WREN Executive Director Mary Henningfield, PhD, joined Detroit Public Radio to talk about social isolation and social prescribing. Loneliness is a growing issue affecting around 40% of Americans aged 45 and older. Primary care clinics could play a role in addressing this issue. Hear about WREN’s study, Screening for Loneliness in Primary Care: A Pilot Implementation Study, on the Detroit Public Radio website, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts.
Practical Tips for Addressing Patient Loneliness in Primary Care
WREN Medical Director Sarina Schrager, MD, MS, co-authored a paper in Family Practice Management (FPM) with collaborators Sebastian Tong, MD, MPH (University of Washington) and Rebecca Mullen, MD, MPH (University of Colorado Anschutz). The paper provides a framework for addressing patient loneliness within health care systems and the community.