It’s no secret that social isolation can take an enormous toll on older adults. And in a twist of irony, it seems clear that cutting off social and physical connections, as we are doing during the coronavirus outbreak, makes it harder for people to fight off infection, among other detrimental side effects. We knew already that loneliness and social isolation have been at epidemic levels even prior to the arrival of the virus. The question is what toll our new social-distancing demands will take on seniors and whether there are measures to mitigate the harmful effects of this isolation.

At this time, not only are older adults dealing with the risks of exposure, but they are also contending with the shutdown of key programs that facilitated their contact with the outside world, such as senior centers, libraries, and houses of worship. As one senior bemoaned when she found out her senior center was closing, “I’m really isolated now…This isn’t just about lunch. I come here to talk to people other than my cat.”  And Kaiser Health News recently profiled senior programs scrambling to serve the more than 47 million older adults who are aging in place in our communities. Not only will these older adults experience additional loneliness or isolation but their health and mobility may deteriorate without sufficient care and attention.

Given these concerns, there are a lot of recent articles by experts recommending all sorts of technology-driven ways to ensure seniors are not left alone and isolated during this time. For example, Scientific American recommends such common-sense ideas as regularly scheduled video chats, finding online communities to join and creating bonds and sustaining relationships using technology like Squad or Cocoon. Of course, many of the suggestions depend upon already set-up digital supports which not all seniors possess. But not every suggestion requires sophisticated technology. For example, Health in Aging recently posted a list of 12 ways to ease the social isolation of seniors during this time, which included staying physically active, dialing down the bad news and getting outside, even if in a socially distant way. And in order to foster “Distant Socializing” rather than social distance, Thrive gives many suggestions for creating companionship despite the distance, including cooking the same recipe or watching a show together at the same time. And are you missing your book group? Then check out the online virtual book group Quarantine Book Club.

But none of these creative suggestions diminishes the reality that we are, at heart, social creatures in need of human connection and companionship. As Robin Wright wrote in this week’s New Yorker magazine, “Life seems shallower, more like survival than living,” when social connections are cut off. So keep your older friends and loved ones front and center during this perilous time and give them a good old-fashioned phone call to check-in.