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Findings on Loneliness, Telehealth, and Advance Care Planning From the National Poll on Healthy Aging

Year: 2021

Type: conference-abstract

Abstract: The University of Michigan National Poll on Healthy Aging (NPHA) taps into the perspectives of older adults to inform health care policy and practice using a nationally representative sample of more than 2,000 adults age 50-80. Questions about lack of companionship and feelings of loneliness were tracked over three time points; 34% expressed feelings of loneliness in October 2018, 41% in June 2020, and 37% in January 2021. The NPHA also found that use of telehealth increased from 4% in May 2019 to 30% in June 2020 to 43% in January 2021. Finally, the NPHA found that 37% have completed both medical durable power of attorney and advance directive with 7% completing at least one of these documents in the first three months of the COVID-19 pandemic. These poll results can be used to inform actions by coalitions and organizations to advance state and federal policy.

Source: Innovation in Aging

DOI: 10.1093/geroni/igab046.671