Loneliness Decreased for Older Adults Using Telephone and Video Communications.

To study feasibility and impact of telephone and video communication on perceptions of loneliness and social isolation in community-dwelling older adults. Purposive flyer distribution to communities, area agencies on aging, meals on wheels, and snowball sampling. Sixteen people met inclusion criteria. Pre- and post-intervention data were collected: UCLA-3, UCLA20, FRAIL Scale, and Social Frailty Scale. Participants were allocated to either telephone or video communication groups, completing 8 weeks of one time per week 45–60-minute conversations. UCLA-20 demonstrated statistical significance (p =.017) for the full cohort with large effect size (Hedges' g = 1.273). UCLA-3, SFS-8, and FRAIL Scale did not demonstrate statistically significant pre-post differences. No statistically significant differences (p >.05) were identified between the telephone and video communication groups. Remote communication may have a positive impact on perceptions of loneliness that appear to be independent of the communication modality utilized. Randomized controlled trials are required to determine if either modality is more effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]