Quarterly TA Talk: Loneliness and Social Isolation in Long-Term Care - 6.21.23

Severe seclusion during the COVID-19 pandemic led to many emotional, physical, and psychosocial health consequences. However, many residents experienced loneliness and social isolation and the related mental and physical consequences before and after the pandemic. Lori Smetanka, Consumer Voice Executive Director, and Jocelyn Bogdan, Senior Program & Policy Specialist at Consumer Voice, discussed loneliness and social isolation in long-term care; how staff, family members, and others can work to ensure residents are heard; and shared a new resource. Monique Turner, of the New Jersey Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program's Social Isolation Project (SIP), shared information about how the SIP serves residents.