title: Social isolation: unit-based activities for impaired elders.
abstract: Loneliness can lead to illness and death, and is such a painful experience that a resident may not verbalize it directly. Quality nursing care requires that problems of social isolation are identified and a plan developed for adequate intervention. Impaired residents will be more successful socially when they can access a variety of interesting activities in small groups where familiar staff take initiative and establish a rapport. Institutional nurses are in a unique position to request the structural and personnel changes necessary to bring creative activities to the nursing units of impaired elders.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Windriver
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D005851:Geriatric Nursing / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008132:Loneliness; D009735:Nursing Homes; D012934:Social Isolation; D012944:Social Support