Social, Economic and Health Impacts of WaveLength’s Work with Loneliness and Isolation Key findings from qualitative research

WaveLength’s work Challenging loneliness and social isolation through media technology Radio, television, tablet computers Individuals and organisations

How does media technology affect... Loneliness? Social isolation? Physical and mental health? Social outcomes? Economic outcomes?

The research project 25 qualitative telephone interviews  11 organisations  14 individual beneficiaries 3 face-to-face group discussions  16 people in total Literature review

Causes of loneliness and social isolation Relocation Separation from family Mental health problems Physical health problems Learning disabilities Domestic abuse Moving into independent living

Reducing loneliness Company and companionship Distraction from negative thoughts Reducing boredom Connection to the outside world

With the radio, there’s always something different on, there’s somebody just talking and it’s basically - it’s a lifeline, it is. You’ve got company; you’re not here on your own. It’s like my friend, you know? When they’re talking there, I can listen to them, so I did not really feel like lonely, you know... It doesn’t mean they’re really friend but, you know, I feel like somebody’s talking next to me. It may sound silly, but because I don’t get out and about all that much, it brings someone else into my home, makes it interesting... I’ve found it opens the world to me.

Reducing social isolation Engaging with talkback shows Prompting participation in local activities Providing conversation points Drawing people into communal spaces Other screen-based group activities Enabling hospitality Supporting cultural integration Keeping in touch with family and friends

It develops your relationships doesn’t it. Cos obviously we start talking and you get to know people better and then you start organising other things that you’re wanting to do... Just even if it’s just going to the shop together, do you know what I mean, even if it’s just like “We’re going to the shop, are you coming with us?” Being able to do things that regular young people do, so to be able to watch a DVD or to be able to have friends round and watch TV. So it’s something that allows them to kind of broaden their social circle really... Rather than just have somebody round to your new flat that you want to show off, and you’ve got nothing in there apart from sitting on the settee and chatting, you can put the TV on, you can have friends round to watch, you can socialise with other people.

I think it’s very important because, you know, [TV] is often talked about and people assume that everyone has a television. So if the [older] person is going into a day centre or something like that, it’s a good source of something to talk about... I think if you’re sitting without a TV, when you’re thrust into a day centre or that kind of scenario, if you don’t know what on earth they’re talking about, then it just makes it a wee bit more difficult to engage. Just that sense of normality; the TV just brings that doesn’t it... When [children] go into school, and their friends know that you’re in a hostel, I think the telly just integrates them a little bit again. At least they can talk about normal things with their friends, when they’re watching telly the same as they are... [And] I think sometimes it can allow [adults in the refuge] to build a bit of rapport with somebody else. If you can’t chat about anything else, you can chat about what was on telly last night can’t you.

Supporting emotional wellbeing and mental health Relaxing, calming, soothing and comforting Lifting low mood and depression Empathy and identification Information about mental health conditions Online support groups

I feel a lot better since I got a TV because it’s something to do and then I’m not thinking too much about my past and stuff like that... Television’s a different reality, so you’re not thinking too much about things that can upset you, you know, the past and things like that, and not dwelling on things. It has been a great help for me... cos if you think about things all the time too much you can make it worse, make your health worse... You start thinking of things and it starts getting you more depressed.

Supporting physical wellbeing Healthy lifestyle information Information about physical health conditions Entertainment and diversion Distraction from pain and discomfort Motivation to get up and about

On the nights when you can't really get a lot of rest, cos I also have arthritis, so a lot of the time you're in a lot of pain, so you can't sleep when it's like that, so it's just nice to have some sort of sound in the house. Because you’re concentrating on something else, you’re listening to something else, you’re not thinking about the pain. I mean it’s there all the time, but you’ve got some sort of like distraction, you’ve got something else to think about, because you’re listening to what they’re saying.

Economic and educational benefits Online jobsearch and job applications Benefits applications Property searches Financial management Learning, training, practicing skills Career ideas and inspiration Language and social skills development

Using technology safely Making technology safe for vulnerable individuals Keeping a balance with other types of activity

Conclusions Media technology can help to: Alleviate the negative subjective experience of loneliness by providing company, companionship and distraction Reduce objective social isolation by bringing people into greater ‘real world’ contact with others Improve emotional wellbeing and mental health and support better physical wellbeing Support employment, welfare and educational activities

For more information... wavelength.org.uk york.ac.uk/spru