Social connection planning to enhance support for callers to the Oregon Senior Loneliness Line

Abstract Social disconnection—isolation and loneliness—is increasingly recognized as a key determinant of older adult health. Cognitive‐behavioral interventions can improve social connection for disconnected older adults, yet access can be challenging. Brief interventions that can be integrated into existing infrastructure and programming (e.g., crisis or emotional support phone lines) are urgently needed. One promising approach is Connection Planning, a theory‐based and evidence‐informed behavioral strategy for promoting feelings of social connection. A pilot program development project was conducted to implement Connection Planning with callers to a statewide Senior Loneliness Line. Partners from the state health authority, social service organization, and an academic research team collaborated to implement and evaluate the program. Factors that facilitated participant engagement with the program included provider characteristics (e.g., empathic) and program characteristics (e.g., scheduling flexibility). Challenges to implementing the program included program promotion and enrollment difficulties and the introduction of new structured elements into calls. Additional needs for training and funding to support program sustainability were identified. Building social infrastructure to promote social connection in older adulthood requires concerted effort from stakeholders across sectors. We discuss the challenges and lessons learned from this cross‐sector collaboration to pilot a social connection program for older adults at the state level and suggest opportunities to leverage funding mechanisms and implementation science principles that could support success of future efforts to develop policies and practices that are responsive to older adult social needs.