Piloting a Community Connectors Program to Address Social Isolation and Loneliness among Older Adults in New Brunswick

About the project

Social isolation affects over 30% of Canadian older adults and is associated with a range of negative mental and physical health outcomes. Being socially isolated also makes it harder for older adults to find out about the health and support services available in their community. In 2020, a survey in New Brunswick found that people in Fredericton experienced the highest levels of loneliness and social isolation compared to other areas in the province. To decrease the impact of social isolation among older adults in Fredericton, Saint Thomas University initiated a pilot program called Community Connectors (CCs). Volunteers from Meals on Wheels were trained to provide information about community resources and identify older adults who could benefit from health and support services available through 211. CCs also distributed informational pamphlets to older adults who were on their routes. The main goal of this project was to identify the key elements of a successful community connector program. The effectiveness of the program was evaluated by gathering perspectives about the program from the CCs and older adults who engaged with the program. 14 volunteers (13 females and 1 male) and 9 older adults (5 females and 4 males) participated in the evaluation of the project.

Conclusions and lessons learned

The study shows that the Community Connectors program helped volunteers and older adults become aware of community support and services. By being aware of these resources, older adults will be empowered to make informed decisions and take charge of their health and well-being.

Recommendations

  • Train other Meals on Wheels volunteers to become CCs and revise training materials to include materials that CCs can use during interactions with seniors.
  • Create a central hub for CCs to access additional training resources and up to date information about local community events.
  • Increase efforts to overcome the structural barriers that may hinder seniors from seeking help or accessing available resources.

To learn more read the complete project findings (PDF 120 KB)