Assessment of Mental Health and Social Problems during Multiple Friendly Visits: The Development and Evaluation of a Friendly Visiting Program for the Isolated Elderly
- 1 January 1978
- journal article
- case report
- Published by SAGE Publications in International Journal of Aging & Human Development
- Vol. 8 (1) , 43-65
- https://doi.org/10.2190/6f9d-2ft9-jfqb-m8r2
Abstract
The Friendly Visitor Program was designed to reduce social isolation. Visits were made by a pair of trained visitors to twenty-three isolated, elderly New York City residents. Pre- and post-testing visits to experimental and control Ss collected data on measures of isolation, adjustment, cognitive impairment and mental state. The major procedure was an hour long structured visit every two weeks for six months and a six month follow-up. For the experimental group only apartment upkeep and mental state improved and isolation diminished at the time of follow-up, indicating friendly visiting probably was therapeutic.Keywords
This publication has 4 references indexed in Scilit:
- Living Conditions and Everyday Needs of the Elderly with Particular Reference to Social IsolationInternational Journal of Aging & Human Development, 1973
- Mental Status ScheduleArchives of General Psychiatry, 1967
- The Significance of Psychiatric Symptomatology for Social AdaptationThe British Journal of Psychiatry, 1964
- Depression, brain damage, and chronic illness of the aged; psychiatric diagnosis and treatmentJournal of Chronic Diseases, 1959