Marcus Rand Director

The Campaign to End Loneliness … THE MISSING MILLION Why its time to make loneliness everyone’s business The Campaign to End Loneliness is a network of organisations and people that want to do more about the issue of loneliness in older age in the United Kingdom. Launched in 2011, our work is overseen by five partner organisations: Age UK Oxfordshire, Independent Age, Manchester City Council, the Royal Voluntary Service and Sense. We have over 750 organisation supporters that make up a “Learning Network” – an interactive forum for charity, business or council that wants to learn more about how to address loneliness in later life. We have a further 1,200 individual supporters, who get involved in our campaigning. We aim to reduce loneliness in older age by creating the right policy and funding conditions for groups and individuals working to address the issue. We work with a wide range of organisations to seek the following change: 1. Higher quality, and more effective, services and activities 2. Better use of existing support, especially by the most lonely 3. More commissioning and/or development of services and activities targeting loneliness

The Campaign to End Loneliness … Five years old (young) this year Campaigning body to promote a major shift in thinking about loneliness Drive increased awareness of loneliness as a major health and economic problem Campaign for positive policies and plans on the ground Promote sharing of knowledge and best practice Over 750 organisations in our learning and research network How we can reduce loneliness The Campaign to End Loneliness is a network of organisations and people that want to do more about the issue of loneliness in older age in the United Kingdom. Launched in 2011, our work is overseen by five partner organisations: Age UK Oxfordshire, Independent Age, Manchester City Council, the Royal Voluntary Service and Sense. We have over 750 organisation supporters that make up a “Learning Network” – an interactive forum for charity, business or council that wants to learn more about how to address loneliness in later life. We have a further 1,200 individual supporters, who get involved in our campaigning. We aim to reduce loneliness in older age by creating the right policy and funding conditions for groups and individuals working to address the issue. We work with a wide range of organisations to seek the following change: 1. Higher quality, and more effective, services and activities 2. Better use of existing support, especially by the most lonely 3. More commissioning and/or development of services and activities targeting loneliness

Loneliness in the uk 10% 65+ of the population aged over 65 are often or always lonely 1/2 17% of older people are in contact with friends, family and neighbours less than once a week, Of all older people (over 5 million) say television is their main company Studies since the 1940s have shown that approximately 6 – 13% of people aged 65 and over feel lonely all or most of the time (so this hasn’t changed in over 50 years – it’s not getting worse, but it’s not getting better either…) However – the number of people who feel chronically lonely will increase as our population ages -With recent projections estimating the number of people aged over 65 to reach 19 million in the UK by 2050 Research – including from academics, Office for National Statistics, PHE – all consistently show that likelihood of experiencing loneliness increases with age Additionally: A recent Campaign to End Loneliness survey of over 1200 people revealed that 20% of people who experience loneliness feel they have no-one that they can turn to. 4

What is loneliness… As a social pain, loneliness exists to protect us from the dangers of isolation Loneliness, therefore in itself is a prompt to act: to re-connect However, experiencing loneliness can have an impact on our ability to address it Solutions therefore needs focus on driving connections

Defining loneliness Loneliness: is subjective isolation: is objective the unwelcome feeling of a gap between the social connections we want and the ones we have isolation: is objective a measure of the number of contacts or interactions Set the scene with a few definitions Important to distinguish between loneliness and isolation - they are related but distinct concepts and experiences Loneliness is a completely subjective experience and is experienced differently by everyone: - Social (missing a group or network of friends/relations) - Emotional (missing a particular loved one – after bereavement for example) - Transient (comes and goes), Situational (lonely at a particular time such as birthdays, Christmas, Sundays, bank holidays) - Chronic (severely lonely all or most of the time) Isolation is an objective state – only looks at the quantity of relationships – the number of contacts that take place on a day to day basis We use a definition based on cognitive discrepancy theory which defines loneliness as “…a painful, unwelcome feeling that occurs when there is a gap between the quantity and quality of relationships we want, and those we have” People often use isolation as a proxy for loneliness. This can be inadequate and it is crucial to make a clear distinction. For example, carers and care home residents are not isolated, but evidence shows that many of them will be lonely. A good way of putting it is that you can be lonely in a crowded room but you are not isolated. Therefore isolation isn’t always a helpful proxy for loneliness. It can be Social or emotional Transient, situational or chronic “Language... has created the word ‘loneliness; to express the pain of being alone. And it has created the word ‘solitude’ to express the glory of being alone.” Paul Johannes Tillich 6

Loneliness harms physical heath Poses an equivalent risk for early death as smoking 15 cigarettes a day Increases the risk of high blood pressure Increases risk of cardiovascular disease Increases risk of dementia Lonely people are: More likely to smoke and drink alcohol More likely to be overweight and have poor diets More likely to skip medication At the Campaign we know that Local Authority budgets are under enormous strain and we need to outline a clear case for preventing loneliness and isolation at a local level. We know that loneliness is a seriously harmful to our health, and the following slides outline how. This slide looks at the harmful effects of loneliness on our physical health. Poses an equivalent risk for early death as smoking 15 cigarettes a day Increases the risk of high blood pressure Increases risk of cardiovascular disease Lonely and isolated people are also more likely to: smoke be overweight and eat fewer fruit & veg and skip medication 7

Loneliness harms MENTAL heath Is linked to development of depression Can delay recovery time from illness Correlated with self-reported poor health and psychological distress Can predict suicidal behaviours in older age 8

Costly to heath and social care What we know: Preventing and alleviating loneliness helps older people to remain more independent 76% GPs report 1-5 patients a day come to their surgery because they are lonely The cost of being chronically lonely to the public sector on average is around £12,000 per person based on costs associated with GP and A&E visits Research in Cornwall and Devon found a third of patients admitted to A&E had very infrequent meaningful social interactions– less than once a month, or never 9

Costly to heath and social care Reducing loneliness can boost independence and reduce costs by resulting in: Fewer GP visits Lower use of medication Fewer days in hospital Improved ability to cope after returning from hospital Reduced inappropriate admission to care homes Increased contribution of older people to society: sharing skills, knowledge and experience 10

It’s time to shift the debate……to create a million connections Our work to date has been built on a very rational and evidence based approach. At the Campaign we believe that now there’s an opportunity to deliver a bigger bolder push on loneliness – to mobile society and make loneliness everyone’s issue. We want to do this in a positive way that allows older people to participate and portray the third age in a positive way. The role of the campaign is to set a flare over the issue of loneliness. Open it up for national debate. But most importantly to help create the space for the creation of great innovative projects to create connections and re-connect the million of older people who are at risk of being lost and forgotten.

What do we mean by meaningful connections? …They’re significant not superficial …They’re active not passive …They’re respectful not pitying …They’re inclusive not selective …They’re enduring not short-lived And all these goals are at the heart of what we must make happen across the whole of the UK…….. And that is why the Campaign is so delighted to be here today and to do what we can to support the drive to address loneliness in Scotland. Thank you.

Time to link up against loneliness

Twitter: @EndLonelinessUK Find out more campaigntoendloneliness.org Twitter: @EndLonelinessUK Email: info@campaigntoendloneliness.org.uk Phone: 020 7012 1411