Our guest bloggers Annabel Collins, Programme Manager at Ageing Better in Camden and Rob Francis, Associate Director at Traverse have kindly shared an evaluation of the Ageing Better in Camden programme which is focused on tackling loneliness and isolation amongst the borough’s older population. At the beginning of 2020, 64-year-old Shama was a regular at…
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Don’t mention the ‘L’ word: should we be talking about loneliness, or tackling it by stealth? “But I don’t WANT to be surrounded by ‘lonely people” protests a woman invited into a ‘lonely lunch club’. While exaggerated for effect as part of a training session, this illustration from Graham Ogilvie really struck me. After many…
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Professor Carolyn Chew-Graham, a GP and researcher in the mental health of older people based at Keele University, has written a blog for us, about her new research, funded by NIHR, to develop and study an intervention which aims to help old people who have been isolated during the COVID-19 restrictions. Impact of COVID-19 restrictions…
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Daphne Berkovi, an active supporter of the Campaign, discusses her personal experience of loneliness and isolation after becoming a carer, and what helped her overcome it. “Britain’s army of unpaid carers struggle to cope without support” (the I 08/05/12) “Loneliness: the tragically silent killer which is so easy to combat” (the I – 15/03/2012) These…
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Peter Girling, Chairman of Campaign supporter Girlings Retirement Rentals, explains how they are supporting their community tenants to avoid loneliness and his support for recently proposed housing reform. Loneliness is something we can all feel at any stage in our lives, but as we get older many people may feel increasingly isolated and lonely, especially…
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Jennifer Francis, Research Analyst at the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE), discusses evidence from research and practice, which shows that services to support friendships are successful in reducing loneliness and improving health and quality of life. A recent study carried out by DEMOS for WRVS found that UK older people are the loneliest among…
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Hamish Hayes, from Think Dementia Community Care, writes about his experiences of loneliness and dementia for Dementia Awareness Week. Can you imagine a period in your life where you have conversed with an ex-government agent, a World War Two ordinance scientist, a nationally recognised pianist, an international award winning photographer or indeed a global policy…
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Jim Thomas, Programme Head of Workforce Innovation at Skills for Care explains how asking “tell me what you know and what you can do” can help us address loneliness in our communities. Regardless of our age we all have knowledge skills and experience to offer to each other in our local neighbourhoods. It is often…
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An update from Alice Ridley of the Campaign for Better Transport. Buses are our most popular form of public transport, accounting for two-thirds of journeys, and the favoured mode of transport for older people and those on low incomes. Ageing decreases mobility so it is extremely important that there is a safe, accessible and reliable…
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A poem by David Edwards. – Do not mistake solitude for loneliness, For solitude brings its own friends. It can bring peace and understanding, The joyous sound of children laughing Echoing across the years. The clink of glasses, Raised in ceremonious hope, A fingertip touch, that meant so much more. Solitude has time for you,…
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