{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,19]],"date-time":"2026-04-19T16:00:06Z","timestamp":1776614406780,"version":"3.51.2"},"reference-count":21,"publisher":"Wiley","issue":"9","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,23]],"date-time":"2025-07-23T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1753228800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/termsAndConditions#vor"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/100005002","name":"California Department of Public Health","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","id":[{"id":"10.13039\/100005002","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/100000049","name":"National Institute on Aging","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["K23AG065438"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["K23AG065438"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/100000049","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["agsjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["J American Geriatrics Society"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2025,9]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>ABSTRACT<\/jats:title><jats:sec><jats:title>Background<\/jats:title><jats:p>Peer programs, which pair individuals of similar age or life experience, can address complex psychosocial needs, loneliness, and social isolation among diverse older adults. However, these services were heavily disrupted by the COVID\u201019 pandemic. This study examined which pandemic\u2010era innovations were sustained across six peer programs and identified core features of peer programs relevant to future public health emergency preparedness.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title><jats:p>In this mixed\u2010methods study, we first thematically analyzed 67 qualitative interviews (August, 2023\u2013April, 2024) with diverse stakeholders, including older adult participants (<jats:italic>n<\/jats:italic>\u2009=\u200924), peer specialists (<jats:italic>n<\/jats:italic>\u2009=\u200912), program leaders across six peer programs (<jats:italic>n<\/jats:italic>\u2009=\u200912), and experts in aging, public health, and peer programs (<jats:italic>n<\/jats:italic>\u2009=\u200919) using a rapid assessment process. Qualitative findings were compared with quantitative trajectories of loneliness and depression among peer program participants over 6\u2010month intervals (May 2020\u2013April 2024).<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Results<\/jats:title><jats:p>Peer programs have been involved in ongoing efforts to help older adults recover from prolonged loneliness and isolation related to pandemic restrictions. Two pandemic\u2010era innovations were sustained: (1) hybrid communication (in\u2010person, virtual, and telephone) that expanded reach, and (2) new partnerships with health and city services. However, \u201cpeer drift,\u201d where peers roles can become diluted as they are asked to do more, emerged as a challenge, complicating the consistency and effectiveness of programs. Core features of peer programs identified as relevant to future public health emergency preparedness included: (1) fostering trust with marginalized communities, (2) flexibility in responding to urgent public health needs, and (3) complementary expertise to clinical teams. Quantitative data demonstrated diverse trajectories of loneliness and depression for participants over multiple years of the public health emergency, with interviews indicating how peers helped older adults navigate these challenges.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title><jats:p>Peer programs have continued to leverage hybrid communication and expanded health and city partnerships to meet the needs of socially isolated older adults. Results further suggest their potential to be integrated into future public health emergency responses.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1111\/jgs.19614","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,23]],"date-time":"2025-07-23T14:28:25Z","timestamp":1753280905000},"page":"2798-2807","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Recent Innovations in Peer Programs for Socially Isolated Older Adults: Implications for Public Health Emergency Preparedness"],"prefix":"10.1111","volume":"73","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6137-8512","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ashwin A.","family":"Kotwal","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Geriatrics, Department of Medicine University of California  San Francisco California USA"},{"name":"Geriatrics, Palliative, and Extended Care Service Line  San Francisco California USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Shannon","family":"Fuller","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Prevention Science University of California  San Francisco California USA"},{"name":"Department of Health, Behavior and Society Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health  Baltimore Maryland USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Katrina","family":"Hough","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Geriatrics, Department of Medicine University of California  San Francisco California USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Nandini","family":"Singh","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Geriatrics, Department of Medicine University of California  San Francisco California USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Soe Han","family":"Tha","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Geriatrics, Department of Medicine University of California  San Francisco California USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Janet","family":"Myers","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Prevention Science University of California  San Francisco California USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Daniel","family":"Hill","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Curry Senior Center  San Francisco California USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Richard","family":"Zevin","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Richmond Area Multi\u2010Services  San Francisco California USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Diane E.","family":"Meier","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Brookdale Department of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine Icahn School of Medicine  New York New York USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Carla M.","family":"Perissinotto","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Geriatrics, Department of Medicine University of California  San Francisco California USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"311","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,23]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_2_10_2_1","unstructured":"Office of the Surgeon General: Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation.(Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) 2023) https:\/\/www.hhs.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/surgeon\u2010general\u2010social\u2010connection\u2010advisory.pdf."},{"key":"e_1_2_10_3_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/jgs.15746"},{"key":"e_1_2_10_4_1","unstructured":"National Academies of Sciences E Medicine Social Isolation and Loneliness in Older Adults: Opportunities for the Health Care 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