Immediate release
Contact: Lili Hoag 020 7241 8523
Combat isolation and loneliness to reduce health and social care costs
The Campaign to End Loneliness is calling for investment in preventative measures to reduce isolation and loneliness among older people. This comes as the final report is published of an ‘Isolation Week’ social experiment by charity, Friends of the Elderly. The report sums up the
week spent by ten volunteers in isolation in their own homes and is found on the website
www.isolationweek.com
Laura Ferguson, Director of the Campaign to End Loneliness stressed the need to prioritise interventions that prevent loneliness and therefore reduce health complications: “Older people are more likely to live alone and can feel lonely over time. Alarmingly, in these circumstances
you are more likely to become ill and need more intensive health and social care support. Loneliness should be better understood and prioritised by health providers. Reducing loneliness is likely to reduce the vulnerability of older people and further health and social care costs.”
