METHODS TO ENGAGE COMMUNITY PARTNERS FOR RESEARCH TO INCREASE SOCIAL CONNECTION AMONG AT-RISK OLDER ADULTS

Sep 29, 2026

Social isolation and loneliness are critical public health issues, with prevalence reported from 22% to 61% of adults feeling lonely. Loneliness increases risk for cardiovascular disease, depression, diabetes, dementia, and all-cause mortality. Established interventions such as cognitive behavioral therapy and Social Prescribing were compared through a PCORI effectiveness RCT proposal. Engagement strategies with community partners over 12 months included in-person and virtual listening sessions, capacity building via knowledge exchange, organizational integration across partners, and ongoing assessment, producing bidirectional knowledge that strengthened trust and shaped the research design.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages2

Reading Time5 min

AccessFree to download

Background and public health need

Interventions compared in the study proposal

Community engagement strategies

Outcomes: bidirectional knowledge and trust foundation

Innovation in Aging, 2025, Vol. 9, No. S2 255 Abstract citation ID: igaf122.858 METHODS TO ENGAGE COMMUNITY PARTNERS FOR RESEARCH TO INCREASE SOCIAL CONNECTION AMONG AT-RISK OLDER ADULTS Jin hui Joo1, Ryan Mace1, Rebekka Lee2, Namkee Choi3, Evan Plys1, Nancy Donovan4, and Joseph Locascio1, 1. Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, 256 Innovation in Aging, 2025, Vol. 9, No. S2 United States, 2. Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, 3. The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, United States, 4. Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States Social isolation and loneliness are critical public health issues in the U.S. and worldwide, with studies reporting a prevalence ranging from 22% to 61% of adults who feel lonely. Loneliness puts a person at risk for multiple medical and mental health problems such as cardiovascular disease, depression, diabetes, dementia as well as increased the risk of all cause mortality. Systematic reviews have concluded that established interventions, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT, addressing unhelpful social cognitions and behaviors) and Social Prescribing (SP, linking to non-clinical community-based resources) . We partnered with the Massachusetts Council on Aging and the Cambridge Housing Authority to develop a comparative effectiveness RCT PCORI proposal of these two interventions. In the process, we used multiple strategies to engage our community partners. These strategies included: ongoing engagement over 12 months, numerous in person and virtual listening sessions with community members ranging from older adults, organization staff and leaders, and scientific experts, attention to building capacity for research through knowledge exchange, built in processes and organizational structure to integrate fully various community partners with complementary expertise and experience, and finally ongoing assessment of engagement throughout the project. Numerous discussionsand listening sessions were held with elders, leaders, and frontline staff at senior centers and public housing organizations. The result was bidirectional knowledge about CBO (community-based organization) priorities, needs, resources and processes “on the ground” as well as research principles and process that shaped the research design and established an ongoing foundation of trust and rapport.

FAQs

Why is community engagement important for this research proposal?

The project targets older adults at risk from loneliness and social isolation, requiring community partners’ input to shape priorities, needs, resources, and research processes that fit real-world settings.

Which two interventions were compared?

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and Social Prescribing (SP) were included as the comparative interventions in the PCORI proposal.

What engagement strategies were used with community partners?

Strategies included ongoing engagement over 12 months, repeated in-person and virtual listening sessions, capacity building through knowledge exchange, integrating partners through organizational structures, and continuous engagement assessment.

Sep 29, 2026

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