Fostering Community Connections for Older Neighbors

Social support networks

Pilot or new project, program, or initiative (testing or implementing a new idea)

Loneliness and Social Isolation: Angelenos are living longer, and for those aging at home, loneliness and social isolation are a growing epidemic that can reduce quality of life and shorten life span - they can be as damaging as smoking 15 cigarettes a day, and a greater public health hazard than obesity. Over 40% of older adults feel lonely on a regular basis, which can carry a 45% risk of increased mortality. A report by the US Surgeon General’s Advisory on the Healing Effects of Social Connection and Community highlights this problem. Providing more opportunities for meaningful connection will promote healthy aging. Access to Health Care for Older Adults: Older adults with limited mobility or no reliable transportation may miss out on needed health care. Keeping up with doctors' visits is critical to avoid emergency room and urgent care visits and control health care costs. Communal care from neighbors who volunteer to take seniors to medical appointments fills this important gap.

WPV addresses the growing epidemic of loneliness by connecting older adults with neighbors of all ages to share friendship and support so they can live active, healthy, engaged lives, aging in the homes they love.
To decrease isolation and encourage social connection, we will expand “Interest Groups” to our members. We currently have 3 and want to add up to 10 more. These are regular gatherings to play games, do arts/crafts, take walks, have lunch, go to movies/concerts, and more. They differ from activities held at places like a YMCA or senior center because they are smaller, more intimate groups led by fellow members of all ages, often hosted in each other’s homes, benefiting young and old.
To promote interdependence and intergenerational relationships, we want to pilot a new program for our older members to engage with young children. We will start with reading to preschoolers and have an interested preschool in Culver City, and then roll out other activities with teens/young adults at high schools and local universities.
To encourage communal care so our members have more access to health care services, we will recruit more volunteer drivers by investing in community outreach. Rides are our most requested service, averaging 200 per month, which will grow as we expand our outreach to older members in the West LA/South Bay neighborhoods we service.
WPV uniquely addresses these issues by providing cost-effective solutions that leverage the community to provide services.

Thousands of older adults aging at home in West LA/South Bay will have improved mental, physical and emotional health as they enjoy more opportunities for social interaction, leading to lower health care costs and better quality of life. Having available transportation to their doctor’s appointments will lead to better access to health care, improved health outcomes and lower health care costs. Increased intergenerational relationships will lead to better outcomes for children, teens and older adults. Adults who frequently volunteer with children have fewer falls, burn more calories and exhibit better memory. Seniors who volunteer report less depression and feelings of isolation, and rated their health better. Children/teens develop communication skills and positive attitudes toward aging and each other. Our learnings will be shared with other Villages in LA County, Southern CA and we will partner with Village Movement California to encourage the formation of additional Villages in LA.

WPV will utilize a combination of validated survey instruments and evaluation questionnaires from existing research to specifically designed to measure loneliness (UCLA Loneliness Scale), social engagement (Center for Advanced Study of Aging Services Social Engagement Questionnaire), and quality of life (Older Person’s Quality of Life-Brief). The tool will be administered in a pre-post test methodology to WPV’s older adult members before and after the new intergenerational program/intervention. The goal is to see a decrease in loneliness and increase in social engagement and quality of life. With regard to measuring success in access to health care services, WPV is currently able to measure the number of volunteers who drive older members and the number of rides provided. Our goal is to recruit 50 new volunteer drivers and increase the number of rides provided from 200 to 300 rides per month by 2025.