Aging and Engaging: Benefits of Social Connection for Older Adults Webinar

Wednesday, 05/20/2026, 12-1PM (Zoom registration)

In this presentation, Abigail Hoffman from the HOPE Lab at the University of Rochester, will describe reasons why attending to one’s ‘social health’ is important and social connection is a form of medicine! She will discuss research on the links between SIL and vulnerability to financial scams, as well as evidence-based strategies to increase quantity and quality of social connections. She will also discuss our attitudes about ageing and how those shape how we engage with others as we age. She will share resources for increasing social connection and describe current research to increase social connection and well-being.

At the conclusion of this presentation participants should be able to:
1. Identify the three components of social connection
2. Identify at least two challenges to social connection that older adults may
experience.
3. Learn about what Connection Planning involves and how it might help to reduce
social isolation and loneliness in older adults.

Presented by: Abigail Zang Hoffman, MDiv, LMSW
Research Assistant, Helping Older People Engage (HOPE) Lab
PhD Student, University of Rochester

FREE CEs available for SW, LMHC, OT, PT, SLP, PSY

Western New York Rural Area Health Education Center, Inc. (WNY R-AHEC) is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Boards for Social Work (#SW-0685), Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Mental Health Practitioners (#MHC-0268), and Speech Language Pathology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers, physical therapists and assistants, occupational therapists, and assistants, licensed mental health counselors, and speech language pathologists. Catskill Hudson Area Health Education Center is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists #PSY-0318.