Addressing social isolation among older people in Danish senior centres: staff acceptability of intervention delivery

Social isolation is a significant challenge among the aging population. A newly developed intervention was implemented in municipal senior centres to support new users to become part of the social community, with the intention of reducing social isolation. The intervention consisted of a starting conversation with staff members, a 'buddy' from existing users and monthly follow-up conversations. This study aims to explore the acceptability of the intervention among senior centre staff members as part of a process evaluation, drawing upon the Theoretical Framework of Acceptability by Sekhon et al. Data were collected through observation and interviews with senior centre staff members (N = 10) involved in the implementation and delivery of the intervention. Data analysis was inspired by thematic analysis. The results indicated a decline in acceptability during the intervention period. Underlying reasons were organized in three main themes: 'Why do it this way, when I can do it my way'; 'I don't like to place these demands on the user'; and 'We just had to prioritise'. Overall, participants suggested a preference for a noninstitutional approach to welcoming new users and felt the intervention misaligned with the organizational goals to improve health. High staff turnover and workload further negatively affected intervention acceptability. This study highlights the complexities of implementing interventions in senior centres, where staff hesitance and a misalignment with values can affect intervention acceptability.