Circle of Friends® alleviating loneliness among older adults
Ystäväpiiri-toiminta – Circle of friends® is based on rigorous training of group facilitators.
The Circle of Friends group intervention for lonely older adults has been systematically and widely implemented and disseminated in Finland for 18 years. The main idea of the Circle of Friends group is to alleviate and prevent loneliness of older adults.
Circle of Friends group is a closed group, where the participants – older adults – meet their peers 12 times in three months. The main objectives of the group are alleviation of the participants’ loneliness and to promote their well-being. The main aim is also to help the group to become self-supportive: facilitators encourage participants to continue meeting on their own.
We have trained more than 1200 Circle of Friends group facilitators in Finland. More than 12 500 older adults have participated in Circle of Friends groups.
Circle of Friends training model
Circle of Friends training is a five-months training model for people, who are interested in facilitating a group. The most important criterion for a group facilitator is motivation to facilitate a group and to alleviate loneliness of older adults. The facilitators take part in five one-day workshops, as well as facilitate their first Circle of Friends group during the training. The aim of the Circle of Friends training is to enhance the participants’ (facilitators’) knowledge and skills to plan and facilitate
Circle of Friends group model, which have the following elements:
- closed group dynamics
- target-oriented work and learning
- enhancing interaction between participants
- peer support
- empowerment
- enhancing self-efficacy and mastery
