A student-led initiative is partnering student volunteers with older adults in their community to help reduce social isolation in seniors, a rising issue amid COVID-19.
Student-Senior Isolation Prevention Partnership (SSIPP) was created in 2019 by three health professional students from the University of Toronto. The organization has since expanded to 12 schools across Canada and gained over 500 student volunteers.
According to the organization’s website, SSIPP’s mission is to “mitigate the social isolation of older adults by building a society that promotes their well-being, while enabling them to feel valued and remain socially connected.”
Due to COVID-19, the organization has been forced to adapt how it connects students and seniors. Now, in-person meetups have become virtual with a weekly online and phone program.
The student volunteers are also providing necessary information about safe practices during COVID-19 with the seniors they are paired with.
SSIPP co-founder Victoria O’Driscoll said she started the program to combat social isolation in seniors, a risk factor linked to a variety of physical and mental illnesses.
“Social isolation in older adults is a huge issue that existed prior to COVID-19 and studies show that up to 43 per cent of seniors living in communities feel socially isolated,” O’Driscoll said.
Founders O’Driscoll, Monisha Persaud, and Geoffrey Sem reached out to the physician champions at Toronto Western Hospital when starting the program in 2019.
“The way it primarily works is that health-care professionals—for example, physicians, nurses—can refer patients to our program. And then we will phone the patient and ask them if they would like to participate,” O’Driscoll said.
Since the start of COVID-19, SSIPP has rapidly expanded and now has at least 12 chapters at universities across Canada.
“This has really become an awesome national effort. There are so many students from all across Canada who are working together,” O’Driscoll added.
The University of Ottawa (U of O) started an SSIPP chapter in early spring, and have since partnered over 50 students with seniors.
With help from the program’s francophone coordinator Stephanie Chevrier, they have turned the program bilingual, enabling the program to reach more seniors in the Ottawa area.
Celina DeBiasio, a co-founder of the SSIPP Ottawa chapter, credits her strong relationship with her grandparents as her inspiration for starting the branch at U of O.
“I’m not originally from Ottawa, but from the program, I have learned so much about the community,” DeBiasio said. “It has been amazing that everyone has been able to work together for a common goal.”
Sara Rizakos has been volunteering with the U of O chapter since early spring. When the pandemic started, Rizakos said she was concerned about seniors in isolation, leading her to join the SSIPP.
“It [SSIPP] has been overwhelmingly positive from the start,” Rizakos said. “It’s really changed my perspective and is really making a difference in the lives of a lot of seniors.”
Matthew McArthur, a volunteer through the McMaster University chapter, said he has formed a strong friendship with his match, who he began communicating with online at the start of the pandemic.
“This summer has had a lot of ups and downs. One thing that I didn’t expect going into the program is that she would be someone I could talk to,” McArthur said. “It’s definitely someone who I will stay in touch with forever.”
The SSIPP recently received a $50,000 grant from Canadian Medical Association company, Joule. The funding supports their COVID-19 innovation, which O’Driscoll believes will be vital in growing the program and reaching more Canadian seniors struggling with social isolation.
An earlier version of this article spelled Geoffrey Sem’s name “Sen.” The Charlatan regrets the error.
Featured graphic by Sara Mizannojehdehi
