Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
#AgeAction2019 | #WeAgeWell
Increasing Connection, One Call at a Time
Presented by:
Amber Carroll, Director Well Connected
Katie Wade, Director Social Call
Tell me about
your feelings
of loneliness.
2
Tell me about
your social
connections.
The Joy of ConnectionWhy do we talk about connection instead of
loneliness?
– Impact of volunteering 2 hours a week
– Social connection = increased health
– Creative aging programs = healthier lives
– Quality & type of connection matter
3
“Well Connected is a truly unique program. I feel fortunate and
grateful that I found it. One day, this model will be the norm in our
society.”
-Elantra (Participant & Volunteer)
Reciprocal Bond
“We need mutual aided protection. If
you are only receiving aid and
protection from others, that doesn’t
satisfy this deeper sense of belonging.
Being just a client of a psychotherapist
fulfills some needs, but it doesn’t fulfill
that real need to have a rich reciprocal
bond.”
~ John Cacioppo, Professor & Researcher, University of Chicago
5
Connect and engage older adults in your community as participants
and/or volunteers – all from the comfort of home!
Creative Aging Solutions
Well Connected
Well Connected Español
Social Call
Well Connected &
Well Connected EspañolWell Connected and Well Connected Español offer virtual conversations, lifelong learning opportunities, support groups, lectures, and much more! On the phone or online, older adults can connect and engage with others 365 days a year.
7
MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT SUN
Gratitude
Growing an Elder
Community
Gratitude
LGBTQ Chat
Socrates Café
Learning Spanish
Advocacy Now
Memorial Day
Creativity Unleashed
Meditation
Bible Reading
ElectricSound
Collective
Gratitude
Health & Wellness
Gratitude
Support for the Blind
Tall Tales
PersonalStorytelling
All Request Music Hour
Meditation
Perfecting Our French
Music’s Memory
Lane
Gratitude
Coffee Break
Museums at Home
Gratitude
Across the Miles
Low VisionSupport
Poetically Speaking
Great Religions of the World
ArmchairTravel
Meditation
Sports Talk
Activists R Us!
Gratitude
Gratitude
Guided Imagery
Meditation
Living with Chronic Pain
Noggin Joggin’
Read Aloud
Independence Day
Living with Vision Loss
Perfecting Our French
Meditation
Ungame Group
Open Mic
Gratitude
Rich in Nature
State of Well
Connected
Gratitude
Tech & Culture
Memorial Service
Song Lyrics & Other
Hysterics
Practicing German
Ask the Attorney
ESL
Using Art to Change the
World
Meditation
Three Oaks
Gratitude
Bingo
Spring Rites
Pet Tales
Mystery Melody
Where Were You When?
Father’s Day
Gentle Chair Yoga
Concerts from the Couch
Bird Talk
Book Share
Story Time
Gratitude
Meditation
Keys to Joy
Inspiring
Gratitude
Meditation
Poetry
Coffee Break
Gratitude
Picture My World
Mother’s Day
Book Club
Perplexing Questions
Word Play
WritingWorkshop
Trivia
Meditation
Keys to Joy
Guided Imagery
Meditation
Gratitude
Kaevalya
Well Connected Participant and
Facilitator and Social Call Participant
What is Social Call?
Social Call matches individuals
for one-on-one weekly phone
conversations throughout the
United States.
10
Needs:
Low vision
Hearing loss
Memory loss
Physical Pain
Accessibility
Janice
Well Connected Participant
and Facilitator
and Social Call Volunteer
Solution: Agora Conferencing
Online access to all calls
Captioning
Call in feature
Voice activation
11
• Intellectual stimulation – 83%
• Social connections – 76%
• Improved mental health – 63%
• Improved physical health – 35%
Benefits of Connection
Programs
• Do connection programs treat loneliness?
• Do connection programs increase social connectivity?
• Do hospital admissions decrease with increased social connectivity?
• What’s the magic number of engagement hours?
• What is a meaningful relationship?
• Is there increased benefit to participation and volunteerism?
• How do these programs affect the bottom line?
Why Research?
13
Sandy
Well Connected Participant
and Facilitator
How to Connect
• Participants and/or volunteers call
877-797-7299 to register.
• Find catalog online:
covia.org/services/well-connected
• ANY phone works: landline,
tracphone, cell phone
877-797-7299
What can you do?
• No assumptions. Gotta ask!
• Utilize Covia programs to enhance existing
programming
• Encourage and help older adults to engage
as participants and/or as volunteers
• Join an activity yourself, with an older adult, or
as a group
• Partner with Covia
• Facilitate an activity
• Join the Creative Aging Symposium
Gloria, Well Connected Participant
and Facilitator
{ }Like what you heard? Share it!
Tweet using #AgeAction2019 or #WeAgeWell
Rate the session and speakers on the mobile app
Vote in the conference poll
Age+Action 2019 | ageaction.org | © 2019 National Council on Aging 17
