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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Public Health
Sec. Aging and Public Health
Volume 12 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1341713
This article is part of the Research Topic International Perspectives on Older Adult Social Isolation and Loneliness View all 19 articles

Pilot Testing the Engaging Generations (eGen) Program to Address Social Well-Being Among Lower-Income Older Adults

Provisionally accepted
Cindy E. Tsotsoros Cindy E. Tsotsoros *Emma Pascuzzi Emma Pascuzzi Melanie Brasher Melanie Brasher Kristin Souza Kristin Souza Skye Leedahl Skye Leedahl *
  • University of Rhode Island, Kingston, United States

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Introduction: Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the need to address digital inclusion and social well-being for older adults was particularly apparent for those from disadvantaged communities. This pilot program provided access to technology and intergenerational mentorship to older adult participants interested in receiving and learning how to utilize an iPad. Pre/post-changes were examined for social well-being in the areas of quality of life, social isolation, and loneliness. Methods: This study conducted pre- and post-surveys with older participants (n=145) from five disadvantaged communities in the United States utilizing standardized measures. One-on-one interviews were conducted post-program (n=98) to examine participants’ perceptions of the program and evaluate its impact on social measures. Results: The study sample included older adults (Mean age=72.3) who were mostly lower income (82.3%) and self-reported as Black (13.6%), Hispanic (21.7%), and White (56.5%). Significant differences were identified in participant pre/post-survey scores for social isolation, loneliness, and a global measure of quality of life. Qualitative analyses suggest improvements in various aspects of social well-being. Themes showed that participants believed the program contributed to 1) enhanced mood and mental health, 2) improved quality of life, 3) sense of purpose and feelings of being less alone, 4) ability to use video calling to connect with others; and 5) ability to more freely use email, texting, and messaging to communicate with others. Discussion: This research demonstrates that this pilot program seemed to contribute to reduced social isolation and loneliness for participants, and participants stated more positive social well-being following program participation. However, future research with larger samples is needed to expand upon these findings. Future studies will examine the pathways between technology improvements and social well-being and examine group differences.

    Keywords: intergenerational relationships1, technology2, social isolation3, loneliness4, quality of life5, intervention6

    Received: 20 Nov 2023; Accepted: 29 Jul 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Tsotsoros, Pascuzzi, Brasher, Souza and Leedahl. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence:
    Cindy E. Tsotsoros, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, United States
    Skye Leedahl, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, United States

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.