Older adults’ social lives can predict recovery from health setbacks

Social frailty — defined by a lack of close relationships, less involvement in community groups or religious organizations and living in a less safe neighborhood — is garnering attention as a factor linked to poor health outcomes later in life. Along with physical frailty and the social determinants of health, clinicians should ask older adults about their social relationships to identify those who need extra assistance and direct them to community resources. Oak Street Health, a Chicago-based chain of 169 primary care centers for older adults in 21 states, surveys patients about loneliness and social isolation. It then uses the information to determine the services it offers, the frequency of service delivery and to create individual wellness plans focused on social and medical priorities. (Kaiser Health News article, 3/23/23)