Citywide Connect Programme Presentation to the LAT Chairs 12th July 2017

Tackling loneliness: it’s everybody’s business Funded since 2014 by Public Health and the CCG Connects and mobilises all sectors - community and voluntary, public, health, businesses and faith communities - to tackle social isolation and loneliness Enables existing assets and resources to be used more effectively Promotes partners’ activities and best practice Encourages joint working, promotion and enterprise Supports workforce development 1)Health and social care providers across sectors 2)Asset based activity – maximising use of resources which currently exist in communities – making the invisible visible. Working with partners to fill gaps in provision – N/C see eg later 3)Doing things differently & doing more with less 4) Raises awareness of what’s out there in communities to support older people who are or at risk of becoming socially isolated 5) Develops skills and knowledge of workforce attending eg care coaches attended as a training opportunity https://possabilitypeople.org.uk/how-we-can-help/business-services/citywide-connect

Why tackle loneliness? Being lonely has a significant and lasting effect on individuals’ health and wellbeing lacking social connections is a comparable risk factor for early death as smoking 15 cigarettes a day and is worse for us than obesity and physical inactivity it is associated with higher blood pressure, depression and 64% increased risk of developing dementia predictor of suicide in old age Individuals who are lonely are between two and five times more likely than those who have strong social ties to die prematurely “Loneliness is a more powerful predictor of whether you will be alive in ten years’ time, more than almost any other factor, certainly more than smoking” One study concluded that lonely people have a 64% increased chance of developing dementia

Risk factors/triggers Personal circumstances: Living alone Being single, divorced, never married Living on a low income Living in residential care Transitions: Bereavement Becoming a carer/giving up caring Retirement Geography ie living in an area: With high levels of material deprivation In which crime is an issue Health and disability: Poor health Immobility Cognitive, sensory or dual sensory impairment These factors can be used to help to identify those likely to be at risk or experiencing loneliness in a community. The onset of loneliness can be preceded by a specific life event, especially one associated with loss, such as retirement, or bereavement. The fact that these life transitions are more likely to happen at an older age is one reason that older people are at greater risk of loneliness and isolation. A further factor is that social networks may diminish in size due or older people may be unable to take part in previously enjoyed activities due to their own ill Other risk factors” in older age: hearing or sight loss; declining mobility; lower incomes which can all contribute to isolation and loneliness

Local Context 36,000 people in Brighton and Hove are aged 65+ Half are living with long-term health conditions/impairments Around 20% also have mobility problems 41% live alone - 10% higher than the national average Around 5,000 (14%) have depression 13% provide unpaid/informal care Over half of our older residents live in the 40% most deprived wards in England 22 per cent (9,300) of our residents aged 60+ experience income deprivation. 45% of those aged 75+ in the more deprived areas don’t feel safe after dark There are around 7,000 people over 65 in the city who are lonely most or all of the time Although there is a comparatively small proportion of older people aged 65 or more in the city, we have a relatively high proportion of people aged 85 years or more. It’s estimated 14 per cent of our population (35,900 residents) are aged 65 years or more, three per cent (6,500 residents) are aged 85 or more, and 2,400 are aged 90 or more predicted to increase to 40,000 by 2021 and some in the 4% most deprived 43% amongst women aged 75 years +

Living alone: by ward predicted to increase to 40,000 by 2021 Although there is a comparatively small proportion of older people aged 65 or more in the city, we have a relatively high proportion of people aged 85 years or more. It’s estimated 14 per cent of our population (35,900 residents) are aged 65 years or more, three per cent (6,500 residents) are aged 85 or more, and 2,400 are aged 90 or more predicted to increase to 40,000 by 2021 and some in the 4% most deprived 43% amongst women aged 75 years +

How can you recognise loneliness and social isolation? When thinking about whether older people around you might be feeling lonely or isolated, you might want to consider: Whether they live alone Whether they have recently lost a loved one How mobile they are Whether they have a long-term health condition, physical or sensory impairment How regularly they leave the house Whether close family lives nearby Social isolation & loneliness has been shown to have a devastating impact on individuals’ health & wellbeing and quality of life. Putting a strain on of health & social care services Eg comparable to smoking 15 cigarettes a day and greater negative impact than obesity & physically inactivity. Although people of any age can feel lonely older people particularly at risk due to a loss of friends and family, mobility & income Research by the campaign to end loneliness GPs see 1 in 10 people per day who attend surgeries because they are lonely

Locality Hub Events Take place twice a year in the East, North/central and West localities An average of 150 people attend Provide a space to share experiences, network and take action to tackle challenges and develop solutions 1)Health and social care providers across sectors 2)Asset based activity – maximising use of resources which currently exist in communities – making the invisible visible. Working with partners to fill gaps in provision – N/C see eg later 3)Doing things differently & doing more with less 4) Raises awareness of what’s out there in communities to support older people who are or at risk of becoming socially isolated 5) Develops skills and knowledge of workforce attending eg care coaches attended as a training opportunity

Sharing assets: It’s Local Actually www.itslocalactually.org.uk Connects people to what’s happening locally Out & About The place for adults aged 18+ to find free and low cost activities Searchable by postcode Free to register Support At Home A place to find local in-home services and businesses To help older and disabled people stay independent at home “Having It’s Local Actually as a one stop shop is extremely valuable. It is great for people who run activities, for service providers and individuals.”

Sharing assets: Connect and Share https://connectandshare.sharetribe.com A place to find and share community resources From community venues, training, joint promotional opportunities, events, open days/drop-ins to health and wellbeing resources Free and easy to register “A great way to get to know more about community organisations that you can link in with”

The good news… There are practical steps we can all take to tackle the issue Even at times of austerity it is possible to resource efforts to combat loneliness and improve individuals’ quality of life, through: Pooling and better targeting of resources - galvanising and directing existing capacity Increasing awareness of what support is available – residents and professionals Working in partnership to learn from each other, avoid duplication, plug gaps and remove barriers

Our Impact

Reframing loneliness: preventing vulnerability Recent research by the COOP and the Red Cross - important contribution to the available evidence on loneliness and how to prevent it from taking hold in the first place Major life events, such as retirement, bereavement, becoming or giving up caring can significantly increase risk of loneliness Not confined solely to older generations 75% of those within the at risk groups don’t know where to turn to for support Potential for an inescapable slide from vulnerability to disconnection to chronic loneliness

Spotlight on the recently bereaved and carers 5,52 people aged 65+ were providing unpaid care in 2015 75% of carers contacting BHCC did so to access social support Significantly more likely to have a limiting long-term illness, disability or health problem Numbers providing unpaid care expected to double over the next 20 years Identified gap around support for bereaved carers/those who have given up their caring role Recently bereaved The death of someone close will affect all of us at some point, with almost half of people (47%) reporting being bereaved in the last five years alone. Three quarters of people who’ve been bereaved didn’t get the support they needed In 2012, less than half who wanted to talk about their feelings with someone from heath, social care or a bereavement service were able to do so Gaps in provision identified (esp informal support) and long waiting lists to access one-to-one support

Citywide Connect: keep moving Extending and broadening the Programme’s network – “sub hubs” To help us identify and reach those on the ‘cusp’ of loneliness Enabling preventative and early reactive support to be developed Building a plan of action, resilience and clear pathways to support – informal and formal

Citywide Connect: join us Join us in tackling social isolation and loneliness by: spreading the word about It’s Local Actually www.itslocalactually.org.uk registering on Connect and Share coming along to the hub events visiting our the Citywide Connect page on our website https://possabilitypeople.org.uk/how-we-can-help/business-services/citywide-connect