Embracing Diversity in Urban and Rural Communities: End Loneliness Together

1. You are not alone! Suggested next steps Martin Farrell Get2ThePoint @EndLonelinessUK #EndLoneliness

2. Topic 1: Living in an urban or inner-city area Heather James @EndLonelinessUK #EndLoneliness

3. Living in an urban or inner-city area ALL CITIES ARE DIFFERENT! 3) Focus on Fun! • Diversity & opportunities • Potential • Stereotypes • Focus on positives • Lil wants to disco dance! 1) Mapping • What has been done already? • What do older people want and what can they give? • Local assets • Partnerships 2) Neighbourhood Strategy • Transport • Intergenerational activities • Resources • Housebound • Technology • Confidence

4. Topic 2: Living in a rural and geographically isolated area Pauline Mountain Michelle Reynolds Lisa Kenny @EndLonelinessUK #EndLoneliness

5. Living in a rural and geographically isolated area ALL RURAL AREAS ARE DIFFERENT! • Listen to reply but also listen to learn • Think of the community as a whole rather than groups / stereotypes within it • Not living in the past but coming into the future e.g. milk bottles! • 3) Tailoring an individual approach to communities: • Local need is determined by local people • Build a degree of familiarity as a first step • Community champions to drive all-inclusive activities initially 1) Transport: • Viewed and perceived as a barrier • Recognise there is a funding challenge and requires support on a national funding level • Whilst additional public transport would be useful, it won’t resolve the issue. We should look at alternative services that will enable and mobilise the community, e.g. lift sharing and car schemes. We need diversity and sustainability of transport. 2) Changing attitudes: • Passion drives the voice • A national focus and then tailoring to your locality e.g. jubilee, street lunch

6. Topic 3: Growing old as a LGBT person Jason Bergen @EndLonelinessUK #EndLoneliness

7. Growing old as a LGBT person 1) Campaign (Similar to dementia friends) • Personal responsibility • ‘Normalise’ / Mainstream • Learning from other equalities and previous LGBT campaigns • Unexpected / positive images / messaging 2) Educating Service Providers (Housing / Care) • At all • Commissioning • Mainstreaming • Choice & Inclusion

8. Topic 4: Becoming a carer Carol Munt, NHS Thames Valley Patient Experience Strategy Group @EndLonelinessUK #EndLoneliness

9. Becoming A Carer • Identify community champions • Creative partnerships, working between charities and other sectors 3) Innovation • Develop a personalized approach • Engage more men e.g. pie and pint groups and men in sheds! • Young carers – consider ways to support e.g. after school clubs and respite • Support complex family situations • Support carers in co-ordinating end of life services 1) Identifying carers: • GPs acting as a community hub & developing a carers register • Services to be triggered at point of diagnosis • Carers centres should share information • Social services could signpost during initial assessment • Re-assessing the way we talk about carers and the terminology currently used 2) Enabling communities: Raise community awareness and improve community engagement by: • Using national publicity to greater effect • Recruiting national charities to develop more effective awareness campaigns

10. Thank You for joining us at The Learning Network Conference @EndLonelinessUK #EndLoneliness