The impact of loneliness and social isolation during COVID-19 on cognition in older adults: a scoping review

Abstract

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic required implementation of public health measures to reduce the spread of SARS CoV-2. This resulted in social isolation and loneliness for many older adults. Loneliness and social isolation are associated with cognitive decline, however, the impact of this during COVID-19 has not been fully characterized. Objective: The aim of this scoping review was to explore the impact of social isolation and loneliness during COVID-19 on cognition in older adults. Eligibility criteria: Eligible studies occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic, enrolled older adults and reported longitudinal quantitative data on both loneliness (exposure) and cognition (outcome). Sources of evidence: A comprehensive search was conducted in CINAHL, Medline, PubMed, and Psychinfo databases (updated October 10, 2023). Charting methods: Studies were screened independently by two reviewers and study characteristics, including participant demographics, loneliness and cognition measurement tools, study objectives, methods and results were extracted. Results: The search yielded 415 results, and seven were included in the final data synthesis. All studies were conducted between 2019 and 2023. Six studies enrolled community-dwelling individuals while the remaining study was conducted in long-term care. In 6 studies, loneliness and/or social isolation was correlated with poorer cognitive function. In the seventh study, subjective memory worsened, while objective cognitive testing did not. Conclusion: Loneliness and social isolation during COVID-19 were correlated with cognitive decline in older adults. The long-term effect of these impacts remains to be shown. Future studies may focus on interventions to mitigate the effects of loneliness and social isolation during future pandemics.