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dc.contributor.authorYauch-Cadden, Lisa
dc.contributor.authorStar, Kari
dc.contributor.authorShiner, Paula
dc.date2022-08-11T08:08:05.000
dc.date.accessioned2022-08-23T15:41:53Z
dc.date.available2022-08-23T15:41:53Z
dc.date.issued2019-03-22
dc.date.submitted2019-03-14
dc.identifier.doi10.13028/d3yw-7b90
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14038/26737
dc.description.abstractIn October 2015, Buzzards Bay Speech Therapy and Coastline Elderly Services, Inc, collaborated to address concerns regarding healthy aging in New Bedford. According to the 2014 Massachusetts Healthy Aging Data Report, New Bedford scored lowest in the state with regard to healthy aging, with 31 health indicators worse than the state average, including depression, mental illness, stroke and Alzheimer's disease. Recognizing that these indicators can lead to social isolation and further exacerbate health concerns, we developed a program focusing on cognitive wellness in order to enhance social engagement. The goal of the program is to provide evidenced based interventions to adults in order to improve social connectedness, sense of well-being, and communicative effectiveness in order to decrease social isolation, depressive symptoms and caregiver burden. The program uses class-based instruction and lively activities to educate and engage participants while practicing tips and techniques to improve thinking, memory, communication and socialization skills. Quantitative and qualitative outcome data collected from 2015-present reveals that classes are effective at decreasing social isolation, encouraging the formation/renewal of friendships and the trying of new things, and improving confidence in communication skills. Additionally, data reflects that the factor most susceptible to change following participation in our classes is a feeling of optimism, born out of camaraderie within the class, gains in self-confidence and self-acceptance, and motivation to improve. Currently we are initiating Participatory Action to enhance community engagement, expand programming, and identify resources that may be available/created in order to improve cognitive wellness and decrease social isolation.
dc.formatflash_audio
dc.language.isoen_US
dc.rightsCopyright the Author(s)
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/
dc.subjecthealthy aging
dc.subjectsocial isolation
dc.subjectsocial engagement
dc.subjectdepression
dc.subjectmental illness
dc.subjectstroke
dc.subjectAlzheimer's disease
dc.subjectcognitive wellness
dc.subjectparticipatory action
dc.subjectCivic and Community Engagement
dc.subjectCommunity-Based Research
dc.subjectCommunity Health and Preventive Medicine
dc.subjectGeriatrics
dc.subjectGeropsychology
dc.subjectHealth Psychology
dc.subjectMental and Social Health
dc.subjectSocial Psychology
dc.subjectTranslational Medical Research
dc.titleDecreasing Social Isolation in Adults via a Cognitive Wellness Program
dc.typePoster
dc.identifier.legacyfulltexthttps://escholarship.umassmed.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1142&context=chr_symposium&unstamped=1
dc.identifier.legacycoverpagehttps://escholarship.umassmed.edu/chr_symposium/2019/posters/2
dc.identifier.contextkey14027460
refterms.dateFOA2022-08-24T03:47:24Z
html.description.abstract<p>In October 2015, Buzzards Bay Speech Therapy and Coastline Elderly Services, Inc, collaborated to address concerns regarding healthy aging in New Bedford. According to the 2014 Massachusetts Healthy Aging Data Report, New Bedford scored lowest in the state with regard to healthy aging, with 31 health indicators worse than the state average, including depression, mental illness, stroke and Alzheimer's disease. Recognizing that these indicators can lead to social isolation and further exacerbate health concerns, we developed a program focusing on cognitive wellness in order to enhance social engagement. The goal of the program is to provide evidenced based interventions to adults in order to improve social connectedness, sense of well-being, and communicative effectiveness in order to decrease social isolation, depressive symptoms and caregiver burden. The program uses class-based instruction and lively activities to educate and engage participants while practicing tips and techniques to improve thinking, memory, communication and socialization skills. Quantitative and qualitative outcome data collected from 2015-present reveals that classes are effective at decreasing social isolation, encouraging the formation/renewal of friendships and the trying of new things, and improving confidence in communication skills. Additionally, data reflects that the factor most susceptible to change following participation in our classes is a feeling of optimism, born out of camaraderie within the class, gains in self-confidence and self-acceptance, and motivation to improve. Currently we are initiating Participatory Action to enhance community engagement, expand programming, and identify resources that may be available/created in order to improve cognitive wellness and decrease social isolation.</p>
dc.identifier.submissionpathchr_symposium/2019/posters/2


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