The AARP Public Policy Institute is hosting a solutions forum on social isolation. New research from the AARP Public Policy Institute finds that a lack of social contacts among older adults is associated with an estimated $6.7 billion in additional Medicare spending annually. Social isolation is a determinant of health, and has been shown to lead to poorer health outcomes and even premature death. This event will include a discussion of social isolation’s effects on individuals’ health, its impact on Medicare spending, its importance as a social determinant of health, and potential policy solutions to address the problem. The panelists will also share how social isolation became recognized as a major public health concern in the UK and how the issue can be better recognized in the US, as well as current efforts by the AARP Foundation and Medicare Advantage plans to address the issue.
The forum will take place on Wednesday, January 31, 2018 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. ET at the Kaiser Permanente Center for Total Health 700 Second Street, NE, Washington, District of Columbia 20002.