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Background: Social isolation in the elderly has been identified as a risk factor for poor mental and physical health, as well as higher rates of mortality, depression, and cognitive decline. Loneliness is the unpleasant experience that occurs when a person’s network of social relationships is deficient in some important way, either quantitatively or qualitatively. Depression is a mental condition characterized by feelings of severe despondency and dejection, typically with feelings of inadequacy and guilt, and accompanied by lack of energy and disturbance of appetite and sleep. Physically, lonely people have more disorders, such as sleeping problems, stomach pain, and headaches. Seniors have an elevated rate of loneliness and are at greater risk for social isolation and depression. Given the overwhelming demand for care and the shortage of providers needed to treat this expanding population, telemedicine is considered an innovative way to administer care to patients and decrease feelings of isolation and loneliness. The UCLA Loneliness tool was used to measure feelings of loneliness and has been used in an estimated 80% of all empirical studies on loneliness. The PHQ-2 and PHQ-9 screening tools were used to measure participants feelings of depression. The tools measured the frequency of depressed mood and anhedonia. The PHQ-2 was utilized at every visit. The PHQ-2 has a 97% sensitivity and 67% specificity in adults and is used in primary care settings throughout the United States (Arroll, et al. 2010). Purpose: The purpose of this EBP project was to implement telehealth senior care visits to reduce social isolation by decreasing feelings of loneliness and depression as measured by the UCLA loneliness and PHQ-2, and PHQ-9 screening tools. EBP Model: The John Hopkins Model will be used to guide this EBP. Project Plan Process Utilizing Telehealth Technology 3 • Obtained Stakeholder and IRB approval • Educated stakeholders regarding mental illness, co-morbidities, loneliness, depression, and quality of life. • Introduced weekly telehealth visit to reduce loneliness and depression among seniors for 3 months as measured by the UCLA Loneliness Survey and the PHQ-2 and PHQ-9 screening tools. Screening for loneliness and depression was conducted on patients in a senior living facility in Southern California over a 3-month period. The UCLA Loneliness Scale and PHQ-2 depression scale were utilized to measure the participants feelings’ at baseline (Day 0), 7-, 30-, 60-, and 90 days. Pre and post data were collected using the PHQ-9 scale at Days 0 and 90. Results: Eighty percent of patients had a decrease in depression and 60% had a decrease in loneliness over this period as measured by the PHQ-9 and UCLA Loneliness Scale. A small minority of patients (20%) had an overall decrease in loneliness and depression for the first 60 days as measured by the PHQ-2 scale and then had a spiked increase in depression and loneliness that coincided with the Christmas holidays. Implications for Practice/ Conclusions: Loneliness and depression lead to mental as well as physical decline. The utilization of telehealth visits has a potential psychological benefit by dramatically increasing the quality of life for seniors. Additionally, it can decrease the financial burden of emergency department visits or missed appointments with their primary care provider. Utilizing Telehealth Technology 4 Utilizing Telehealth Technology to Reduce Social Isolation and Depression in Seniors Background and Evidence for the Problem In the United States, the senior population continues to be one of the fastest growing demographics, comprising over 15.6 % of the total U.S. population. As of July 1, 2018, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated that over 51 million Americans were 65 years or older and many suffer from various chronic and acute physical as well as mental health illnesses. By 2030, the senior population is projected to more than double this current number (U.S. Census Bureau, 2018). Social isolation in the elderly has been identified as a risk factor for poor mental and physical health, as well as higher rates of mortality, depression, and cognitive decline (Luo et al., 2012). A survey conducted in 2012 of older Americans in the study area reported that almost half of the respondents (46%) either strongly agreed or somewhat agreed that isolation and or loneliness affected their quality of life (San Diego Association of Governments Service Bureau, 2012). Social support in the aging population is important from a physical as well as a mental health perspective. As people age in their homes and long-term care facilities, there is a greater risk for social isolation, which can be lessened by formal or informal support networks (Banbury et al., 2017). Longer life expectancy and the costs associated with the aging population is a challenge to the health care system in optimally serving older adults with chronic diseases and the loneliness that often accompanies them. Loneliness is the unpleasant experience that occurs when a person’s network of social relationships is deficient in some important way, either quantitatively or qualitatively (Van der Heide et al., 2012). Depression is a mental condition characterized by feeling of severe despondency and dejection, typically also with feelings of inadequacy and guilt, often accompanied by lack of energy and disturbance of appetite and sleep. The senior population, which has an elevated rate of loneliness and depression, is at greater risk Utilizing Telehealth Technology 5 for hospitalization and emergency room visits (Van der et al., 2012). Many providers and health care centers have turned to telehealth technology to help keep people healthier and living in their homes longer (Banbury et al., 2017). Given the overwhelming demand for care and the shortage of providers needed to treat this expanding population, telemedicine is one way to administer care to these patients. Telemedicine also helps financially by reducing costs for patients and reducing the need for placement in care facilities, thus helping older people to remain in their homes as long as possible. The range of health and social care services delivered directly to them lessens the strain on hospital systems and other health care services (Banbury et al., 2017). A senior living facility that provides affordable senior housing, meals, supportive services, case management and health care services to over 300 seniors agreed to participate in the telehealth evidence-based practice (EBP) project. Through ongoing resources, a pilot program utilized telehealth devices to administer visits with residents at the facility. Evidence-Based Intervention To track the benefits of telehealth visits in relation to decreasing social isolation by decreasing depression and loneliness that accompanies social isolation, a literature review was conducted. The review looked at loneliness and depression outcomes in healthy persons over the age of 65 who utilized telehealth devices. The review was conducted using electronic database sources for articles published from 2010-2020. These data bases included CINAHL, PubMed, and online search engines and catalogs.