LAUSR

Loneliness is associated with increased morbidity and mortality among older adults.1 Residents in long-term care (LTC) communities have higher rates of loneliness than community-dwelling individuals.2 Coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) has disproportionately contributed to deaths in LTC communities, leading to measures to prevent the virus’s spread such as prohibiting visitors.3 Although potentially life-saving, these actions may have negative implications given that social isolation increases risk for loneliness.4 Anecdotal reports suggest that COVID-19 restrictions contribute to residents who have stopped eating and “given up.”5 However, to our knowledge, the relationship between COVID-19 restrictions and increased loneliness among residents in LTC communities has yet to be explored using nationally representative data. This report examines whether restrictive measures are associated with increased loneliness among older adults in LTC communities during the COVID-19 pandemic.