Kahlon MK, Aksan N, Aubrey R, et al. - Researchers aimed at ascertaining the effectiveness, if any, of a layperson-delivered, empathy-focused program of telephone calls in improving loneliness, depression, and anxiety in at-risk adults. They conducted a randomized clinical trial recruiting and following 240 older adults receiving services through a Meals on Wheels organization. Outcomes revealed improvement in loneliness, depression, anxiety, and general mental health in correlation with receiving a 4-week empathy-oriented telephone program delivered by rapidly trained lay callers during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. This approach is thus suggested to be a scalable approach to persistent mental health challenges of older adults.