Working together to create vital connections with older people

1. Working together to create vital connections with older people Laura Ferguson, Director, Campaign to End Loneliness • www.campaigntoendloneliness.org.uk

2. 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

3. “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

4. 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

5. Statistics on isolation and loneliness 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) • www.campaigntoendloneliness.org.uk

6. What causes loneliness? Wider society: • Transport • Physical environment • Community involvement • Housing • Technology • Change Personal: • Health/ disability • Income – determines activity • Age – ‘older old’ • Life stages and change: bereavement • www.campaigntoendloneliness.org.uk

7. The impact of loneliness 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 • www.campaigntoendloneliness.org.uk

8. Combating loneliness… • www.campaigntoendloneliness.org.uk

9. 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

10. … working in communities e.g. • Group interventions with a focused educational input or provide targeted support activities • Target specific groups e.g. widowed, inactive • Representative of the target group • Consultation and control by the targeted • Developed within an existing service (Cattan, 2005) • www.campaigntoendloneliness.org.uk

11. … working together to create vital connections Local 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

12. 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

13. 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

14. Join us Receive the latest research news on combating loneliness • Sign up as a supporter – receive the latest research news on loneliness • Follow us on twitter @EndLonelinessUK • info@campaigntoendloneliness.org.uk to receive our e-updates Campaign to End Loneliness 3 Rufus Street, London N1 6PE laura@campaigntoendloneliness.org.uk 020 7012 1409 • www.campaigntoendloneliness.org.uk

15. ‘Loneliness and the feeling of being unwanted is the most terrible poverty.’Mother Teresa • www.campaigntoendloneliness.org.uk

16. References Cattan, 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)