[Report] “94 Voices”: Insights on Addressing Social Isolation and Loneliness with Older Adults

When the Canadian Coalition for Seniors’ Mental Health (CCSMH) released the first National Clinical Guidelines on Social Isolation and Loneliness in Older Adults (SILOA) in 2024, the question shifted almost immediately. We had the why and the what. What we wanted to understand next was the how: what does it actually look like, in everyday clinical and community practice, to address social isolation and loneliness with the older adults in our care?

To find out, we went directly to the health care and social service professionals (HCSSPs) already doing the work. 94 professionals—nurses, physicians, social workers, recreation therapists, educators, occupational therapists, community workers, and administrators—contributed stories from nine provinces and a wide range of settings, from long-term care and primary care to community programs, rural outreach, and home visits.

The “94 Voices” report shares the collective wisdom of many, serving as a practical, deeply human companion to the Clinical Guidelines and a portrait of social health in action.