The importance of tackling loneliness and social isolation

Matthew Henry

The importance of tackling loneliness and social isolation

An ageing and more transient population, and changes to the way we make social connections, are responsible for more lonely people than ever before.  Loneliness and social isolation can affect everyone older people are particularly vulnerable to social isolation and loneliness owing to loss of friends and family, mobility or income.  

According to the Office of Nation Statistics “Rates of chronic loneliness have remained steady since the 1940’s, with 6-13% of people over the age of 65 reporting they feel lonely ‘all or most of the time’.”  People from all age groups who report bad health are more likely to be socially isolated, and are more than 2.5 times more likely to report feeling lonely than those reporting good health.  However, this figure is likely to increase due to demographic developments such as Family dispersal and the ageing population.

Jo Cox MP for Batley & Spen (who was brutally murdered in June 2016) was an advocate for better service to tackle loneliness, she partnered with over 10 charities to expose evidence of loneliness across the UK.  Following her death MP’s and Friends have pledge to continue Jo Cox's campaign to tackle loneliness.

In March 2017, The Edith Ellen Foundation relaunched their Befriending Service, through the Legacy of Lady Bader (widow of the WW2 hero Sir Douglas Bader) – renamed Lady Bader Ambassadors in a bid to tackle Social Isolation in Care Homes and the Community.  The Lady Bader Ambassadors are a team of volunteers who enable those they befriend to rejoin groups of interest, provide a listening ear or reconnect to services and offer vital companionship and emotional support.  One-to-one befriending has been shown to reduce loneliness and has a modest but significant effect on depressive symptoms. Such regular one-to-one contact is particularly welcomed by people who are frail and housebound

As the UK’s population rapidly ages, the issue of acute loneliness and social isolation is one of the biggest challenges facing our society – and it must be addressed, for the sake of both the individuals concerned and the wider community. Health issues arising from loneliness and isolation add pressure on statutory health and social care services. By intervening in this issue, we can improve older people’s quality of life, while limiting dependence on more costly services.

In addition, in the UK the Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123.

Tackling loneliness and Social Isolation amongst our ageing population is challenge we cannot ignore – both at an individual level and as a wider community.

This will help to improve older people’s quality of life and reduce their reliance on more costly health and social care services.