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Abstract
Loneliness among frail older people predicts increased use of health services, early institutionalisation and increased mortality. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of a new rehabilitation model on loneliness among frail older people. This randomized controlled multi-centre trial with a 12-month follow-up was implemented in Finland. A total of 708 community-dwelling people aged 65+ years with progressively decreasing functional capacity participated. Participants were randomly allocated to the intervention group (n = 343) or to the control group (n = 365). The intervention consisted of a network-based group rehabilitation programme designed for frail older people. A 0.9-fold decrease in the proportion of participants feeling lonely was observed in the intervention group and a 1.1-fold increase in the control group. The results suggest that a physically orientated rehabilitation programme may reduce emotional loneliness.