Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41517834›Full record

SynthesisJournal of advanced nursing2026

Systematic Reviews of Psychosocial Interventions for Loneliness Among Older Adults in Community and Residential Care Settings: An Umbrella Review.

Kimberly Oosterhouse, Confidence Alorse Atakro, Jackie Hoi Man Chan, Yuriko Matsuo, Youjuan Zhang, Fay Parris, Florence Mandebvu, Rabia Khalaila, Noemi Giannetta, Alessandro Stievano and 2 more

Abstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Journal of advanced nursing, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Kimberly OosterhouseKirkhof of College of Nursing, Grand Valley State University, Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5070-635X
Confidence Alorse AtakroSchool of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ho, Ghana.
Jackie Hoi Man ChanFaculty of Sciences, Higher Colleges of Technology, Dubai, UAE.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8581-2686
Yuriko MatsuoJoe. C. Wen School of Nursing, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA.
Youjuan ZhangDepartment of Applied Social Sciences, The Polytechnic University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9399-1848
Fay ParrisNursing Department, Division of Health Sciences, Barbados Community College, St. Michael, Barbados.
Florence MandebvuCollege of Nursing, Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York, USA.
Rabia KhalailaDepartment of Nursing, Zefat Academic College, Zefat, Israel.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0488-1303
Noemi GiannettaSaint Camillus International University of Health Sciences (UniCamillus), Rome, Italy.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4575-1898
Alessandro StievanoDepartment of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3508-2352
Yeonsu SongJoe. C. Wen School of Nursing, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2244-2323
Ken Hok Man HoSchool of Nursing and Midwifery, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4934-2450

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

aimTo describe the latest information on types of psychosocial interventions and their effectiveness on loneliness reduction among older adults in community and residential care settings, and the experience with these interventions.

designUmbrella review.

methodsThe Joanna Briggs Institute methodology for umbrella reviews. DATA SOURCES: Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews; Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature; Medline; Embase; Emcare; PsycINFO; ProQuest Dissertation & Thesis Global; Ovid Nursing Database; MedRxvi.

resultsTwenty-two reviews were included. Seven major types of psychosocial intervention were identified: (1) social facilitation interventions, (2) psychological therapies, (3) health and social care provision, (4) animal-assisted interventions, (5) befriending interventions, (6) leisure and skill development, and (7) other interventions. Social facilitation interventions that provide synchronised interaction, psychological therapies, health and social care provision, and animal (-assisted) interventions demonstrated positive effects while leisure/skill development and befriending interventions warrant more rigorous evidence. Group settings, synchronised interaction and purpose-driven are identified as facilitators, whereas technological issues and safety issues are barriers to participation.

conclusionSeven types of psychosocial interventions are currently available for loneliness among community-dwelling older adults, and a positive effect in reducing loneliness was demonstrated in some types. Facilitators and barriers to their participation were synthesised. Two future research directions are suggested: (1) reviews on meaning-centred interventions to provide a comprehensive understanding and (2) implementation studies employing community-based paraprofessionals to promote programme scalability and accessibility. IMPLICATIONS FOR THE PROFESSION: Health and social care practitioners (e.g., nurses), researchers and policymakers are recommended to employ social facilitation interventions with synchronised interaction, psychological therapies, health and social care provision and animal-assisted interventions to address loneliness among community-dwelling older adults. IMPACT: This review provided empirical information on available effective interventions to address loneliness among community-dwelling older adults. It also provided information for nurses to implement psychosocial interventions in the community. REPORTING

methodThe Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: This study did not include patient or public involvement in its design, conduct or reporting.

trial registrationPROSPERO CRD 42023482852, registered 25/11/2023.

Indexed as

LonelinessPsychosocial InterventionResidential FacilitiesAgedAged, 80 and overFemaleHumansMalecommunitylonelinessolder adultspsychosocial interventionsresidentialreview

Identifiers

PMID41517834
PMCPMC13460981

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.