Working together to create vital connections with older people Laura Ferguson, Director, Campaign to End Loneliness www.campaigntoendloneliness.org.uk
Mar 28, 2015
Working together to create vital connections with older peopleLaura Ferguson, Director, Campaign to End Loneliness
www.campaigntoendloneliness.org.uk
To discuss…
• What is loneliness?• What causes loneliness?• The impacts of loneliness• Combating loneliness:
– Individual action– Improved interventions– Creative partnerships
• What the Campaign to End Loneliness will do
www.campaigntoendloneliness.org.uk
“I want to visit family members more often but …the cost of petrol is too high and the cost of a train ticket
is out of the question – I would have to win the lottery.”
Quoted in Listening to You, a baseline survey for the Campaign to End Loneliness, Cupitt (2011)
www.campaigntoendloneliness.org.uk
Definitions*
• Loneliness – personal perspective• Isolation – can be counted by someone else
Isolation can lead to loneliness, but sometimes solitude can be wonderful.
*Adapted from Professor Mima Cattan, Northumbria University
www.campaigntoendloneliness.org.uk
Statistics on isolation and loneliness
www.campaigntoendloneliness.org.uk
17% of older people are in contact with family, friends and neighbours less than once a week, and 11% are in contact less than once a month (Victor et al, 2003)
Over half (51%) of all people aged 75 and over live alone (ONS, 2010)
Half of all older people (over 5 million) say the television is their main company (Harrop and Jopling, 2009)
9% say they feel cut off from society (GfK/NOP, 2005)
Just under 50% of older people are sometimes or always lonely and 10% of older people say they always feel lonely (Victor et al, 2003)
What causes loneliness?
Wider society:•Transport•Physical environment •Community involvement•Housing •Technology •Change
www.campaigntoendloneliness.org.uk
Personal:•Health/ disability •Income – determines activity•Age – ‘older old’•Life stages and change: bereavement
The impact of loneliness
www.campaigntoendloneliness.org.uk
Health – physical and mental•As big a risk to health as smoking and obesity•A doubled risk of Alzheimer’s disease•Greater likelihood of unhealthy life style•Damage to immune and cardiovascular system•Clear link to depression
Combating loneliness…
www.campaigntoendloneliness.org.uk
Combatting loneliness through..Individuals taking action
“I know people contribute a lot toward making your life, but I do think you’ve got to try and make a life for yourself as well. I mean, I for one would not sit here for 3 weeks on my own with no one to talk to. I’ve got a free bus pass and I would go to… one of the big places ‘cause there is always somebody that will talk to you”
Quote from Safeguarding the Convoy, A Call to Action from the Campaign to End Loneliness, Age UK Oxfordshire
(2011)
www.campaigntoendloneliness.org.uk
… working in communities
www.campaigntoendloneliness.org.uk
… working together to create vital connectionsLocal statutory agencies partnering with local
voluntary and community groups to..
• Understand need via grassroots and mapping
• Fix baselines and milestones
• Existing money, small amounts of money, or no money
• Making loneliness a public health task
www.campaigntoendloneliness.org.uk
Where to start?
• Everyone taking responsibility to make a small difference
• Involving older people
• Identifying those who are lonely or are at risk of loneliness
• Ensuring the health impacts of loneliness are acted upon through local health commissioning
• Preventing loneliness at times of life-change
www.campaigntoendloneliness.org.uk
What will we do…
• Raise awareness - health impacts of loneliness. Nationwide campaign to influence health and wellbeing boards in 2012.
• Peer-learning – sharing what works in reducing loneliness – could your project be included?
• We will improve the knowledge base about loneliness – working with researchers and practitioners in the older age charity sector.
• We will inspire people approaching older age to futureproof their lives against loneliness.
www.campaigntoendloneliness.org.uk
Join us
Receive the latest research news on combating loneliness oSign up as a supporter – receive the latest research news on lonelinessoFollow us on twitter @EndLonelinessUK [email protected] to receive our e-updates
Campaign to End Loneliness
3 Rufus Street, London N1 6PE
020 7012 1409
www.campaigntoendloneliness.org.uk
‘Loneliness and the feeling of being unwanted is the most
terrible poverty.’Mother Teresa
www.campaigntoendloneliness.org.uk
ReferencesCattan, M, White, M, Bond, J and Learmouth, A (2005). Preventing social isolation and loneliness among older people: a systematic review of health promotion interventions. Ageing and Society, 25, 1, 41–67
GfK/NOP (2005) ‘Help Unite Generations (HUG) Survey for Help the Aged’ (unpublished)
GfK/NOP (2006) ‘Spotlight 2006 Survey for Help the Aged’ (unpublished) data was used in Help The Aged (2006) Spotlight Report 2006: spotlight on older people in the UK (Help the Aged: London)
Harrop, A and Jopling, K (2009) One Voice: shaping our ageing society (Age Concern and Help the Aged) can be accessed online: http://www.pdteam.org.uk/olderpeople/documents/OneVoiceReport.pdf
Harrop, A and Jopling, K (2009) One Voice: shaping our ageing society (Age Concern and Help the Aged).
Office for National Statistics (2010) General Lifestyle Survey 2008 (London: Office for National Statistics).
Victor, C. Scambler, S, Bond, J and Bowling, A. ‘Being alone in later life: loneliness, social isolation and living alone’ Reviews in Clinical Gerontology 2000 v.10 (4)