Loneliness harms health

1. Loneliness harms health Campaign to end Loneliness Hertfordshire Loneliness Harms Health

2. Loneliness Harms Health objectives • Inspire local communities to raise awareness of negative health implications of loneliness • Urge local health and wellbeing boards to act on chronic loneliness in older people Hertfordshire Loneliness Harms Health

3. Social Isolation in the UK • 1 in 6 adults aged over 50 socially isolated • 6% older people leave house less 1/week • 51% older people live alone • 17% older people in contact with family, friends, neighbours 1/ week • 11% 1 / month Hertfordshire Loneliness Harms Health

4. Self Reporting of Loneliness • 25% older people say they are sometimes lonely • 9% say they are often lonely • 46% aged 80 and over often lonely • 5 million people say TV is their main source of company Hertfordshire Loneliness Harms Health

5. Causes of Loneliness • Personal factors • – health, accident, sensory loss, mobility, retirement, bereavement, moving home, becoming a carer/ceasing, giving up driving • Societal factors • – transport, physical environment, community, housing, technology, crime, demographic changes Hertfordshire Loneliness Harms Health

6. Why should we act on loneliness? • Negative impact on health – 15 cigarettes • Worse than obesity and inactivity • Depressive symptoms • Alzheimers • Hypertensions, diabetes, dementia • £££? Hertfordshire Loneliness Harms Health

7. Interventions to reduce loneliness • Low cost and effective • Public and private partnerships • Voluntary groups – befriending, telephone help lines, carers support groups, lunch clubs, car services, clubs and activities Hertfordshire Loneliness Harms Health

8. Effects of interventions • Fewer GP visits • Lower use of medication • Fewer days in hospital and outpatient appointments • Lower incidence of falls • Lower and later admission to care homes Hertfordshire Loneliness Harms Health

9. Loneliness in Hertfordshire • 179,000 older people in Hertfordshire • 17,900 chronically lonely • 67,445 pensioners living alone • 2,403 older people suffering from depression • By 2020 – 207,800 Hertfordshire Loneliness Harms Health

10. Health and Wellbeing Boards • Health Trusts and Councillors • Setting local health and wellbeing agenda • Local people can raise awareness about moral and financial cost of chronic loneliness and pressure HWBs to do something about it Hertfordshire Loneliness Harms Health

11. Hertfordshire Loneliness Harms Health • What can you do? • Write to the Hertfordshire Health and Wellbeing Board (“HWB”) • Write to your local paper • Write to your MP • Join with me to campaign! • seemakennedy@gmail.comTwitter @seemakennedy@EndLonelinessUK Hertfordshire Loneliness Harms Health