The Key to Healthy Ageing: A Meta-review of Interventions Addressing Social Isolation and Loneliness in Older Adults

Social isolation and loneliness have a significant impact on the physical and mental health of older adults, with decreased social interactions having substantial adverse effects on ageing. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a renewed focus on research on the importance of addressing social isolation and loneliness in the older population, along with the proposal of new interventions. This systematic meta-review aims to compile information from systematic reviews, scoping reviews, and meta-analyses published between 2014 and 2024 to identify which interventions are currently available. A narrative synthesis will be conducted using data extracted from the final reviews to identify effective interventions, as well as the factors that contribute to their success. The interventions were grouped into five broad categories: psychosocial interventions, technological interventions, health promotion interventions, and other interventions, based on similarities in objectives and services. Psychosocial interventions emerged as the most effective category, followed by technological interventions. The interventions incorporating psychological components, such as counselling and cognitive-behavioural strategies, consistently demonstrated the greatest impact, particularly those that improved social support, addressed maladaptive cognition, and enhanced social skills. Recent high-tech solutions and digital adaptations of psychosocial and leisure interventions show promise in overcoming access barriers, along with multicomponent interventions, animal-assisted therapies, and activity-based programs. Overall, interventions focused on addressing social isolation and loneliness are effective tools in improving the health of older adults and should be incorporated into community and healthcare services. Regarding future research, our recommendation is to explore the long-term impact of these interventions and assess the feasibility of each intervention for implementation.